Justin arrived at Daphne's shop with a few minutes to spare before the sun rose.

She greeted him at the door, looking agitated. "He's hurt. Badly."

Justin pushed past her, heading into the back room where he could smell Ethan. He stopped in the doorway, horrified by the sight in front of him.

One of Ethan's arms was nearly torn off; he was covered in dried blood; and his eyes were unfocused.

"Oh, no! What happened?" Justin knelt down at his friend's side. "Fuck. What has he done to you?"

"Jus..." Ethan tried to focus on Justin's face, lifting his good hand.

"No. Save your energy. I'll be right back." Kissing his split-open cheek, Justin went back to Daphne, who was pacing in the front room. "If you're on my side as you say, I need you to do something."

"Anything. I mean it."

"It will sound awful, but it's the only way to save him. I need you to bring me the first homeless person you find. And fast. If my estimation is correct, he doesn't have more than an hour."

"Can't I help?"

"I've only heard of witches… never met one, before you. I don't know how it works. This is the only way. Please."

"Fine. I'll do it." She left reluctantly.

Justin returned to Ethan's side, stroking his matted hair. "That fucking beast. I swear, I'll kill him, Ethan. I will."

Ethan clutched at Justin's shirt, cringing at the pain radiating from his shoulder, from all over his body. "He thinks I'm dead. He doesn't know Daphne found me. He told me his intentions… without realizing I could still hear him."

Justin gasped, taking Ethan's hand in both his. "What's that?"

"He plans on killing Brian. He knows you'll lose all hope and return to him, realizing there's nothing left for you."

"I'd rather kill myself than go back to him. As for the other part... I won't allow it. As long as it's daylight, Brian is safe. I will spend all my nights with him."

"Take care of him. He's a good guy. I think he loves you."

"I love him too. And stop talking like that. You'll make it. I'll make you feel better, and we'll work on your skill at concealing yourself from Bernard. I'll train you. Two against one is better."

"Jus, I'm not so sure. Remember that vampire who visited us one time? The one Bernard killed?"

"He didn't kill you now. I will save you. I failed you once. I won't be able to live with myself if something happens to you again."

"I feel so weak. He drained me of blood."

"You'll be fine." Justin turned his head in time to see Daphne leading an old man into their room.

"No way! Jus, I don't want to kill anyone," Ethan tried to fight his need.

"He's sick as it is," Daphne explained. "He has no idea what's going on. I managed to put a spell on him. It won't hurt him. Call me when you're done. I can't be here." She left them to their business, locking up her little shop.

Justin brought the old man to the couch where Ethan was resting.

"I… can't," Ethan admitted.

"You heard Daphne. Come on, Ethan. I don't know what spell she used, but it won't last forever."

"No, I can't bite him." Ethan's wet eyes met Justin's, as he slowly opened his toothless mouth.

"Holy fuck. That fucking animal."

"He made sure I'd starve if I survived his torture."

"Don't worry. Here." Justin checked the man's mental state, and realized he thought he was on a beach. Daphne's good, he mused to himself. Swiftly, he cut the man's right wrist, pressing it to Ethan's mouth. "We'll figure something out as a feeding method. Until then, we need to focus on getting your strength back so you can heal."

Justin helped Ethan drain the man by making more incisions in his body so his friend wouldn't have to think of biting, not that he could do so. Bernard had taken care of that.

What kind of monster pulls teeth out?

While Ethan fed, Justin kept his eyes on the wounds as they started to slowly heal. The cracks in Ethan's skin closed, but the big gash in his shoulder remained. It would take days for that to heal.

Once he was done, Justin took the old man's lifeless body to the back door, cracking it open and throwing him out, pushing away all feelings of guilt. It was the survival instinct.

When Daphne returned, hours later, she came bearing gifts. She'd stumbled over some guy trying to hurt a girl and had coerced him into coming with her.

Ethan managed to sketch a smile, saying bad boys were his favorites. He even asked for a knife, indicating he was ready to play with his meal.

As much as Justin was against this, he handed his friend an army knife, leaving him alone with the boy, and joined Daphne in the front room.

"I think it's time we talk," he said seriously.

"You think? So now that I'm playing host to your hurt vampire friend, you trust me?"

"Look, it took me a long time to come to terms with what I've become. You must understand my reluctance to trust witches."

She plucked a hair off his shirt. "Yours?"

"Are you going to do some crazy voodoo?"

"If you don't answer quickly..." She shrugged, giggling.

"It's brown. It's Brian's."

Daphne let it fall to the ground, then snatched one hair off Justin's head.

"Ouch! Bitch."

She ignored him, bending over something to the side. Right as curiosity got the best of Justin, she turned around, palm turned up. There was an elegant ring on her palm.

"Is this...?"

"Yes. Take it. I hope it fits."

Justin turned the ring between his fingers, looking at it skeptically. There was some writing on the inside, maybe spells.

He saw Daphne encouraging him to put it on with her eager, big, black eyes.

Slowly, he slid the ring onto his ring finger. A strange current zapped through him, but it was gone as soon as it had begun.

"Well?" She asked.

"Should I feel different?"

"Only one way to find out." She took him by the sleeve, walking to the door.

"Whoa! I'd rather not kill myself today."

"Don't be a sissy. This should work."

"Should? Daphne, if I get burnt, I'll kill you."

She opened the door, shoving Justin outside the shop. He was impressed by her strength, but that was the least of his worries.

He was in the middle of the sidewalk. The sun was beating down on him, and he wasn't sizzling.

Justin smiled brightly, tilting his head in the sun's direction, letting it warm his face. Hundreds of years—that's how long it had been since he'd last felt the sun, seen the sun.

"It worked!" Daphne squealed, clapping. "I knew it."

Justin turned to her, picking her up and spinning around, laughing. "Words cannot express my gratitude, Daphne." His head turned sharply toward the shop, when he heard Ethan finishing his meal. "Can you help Ethan dispose of the boy? I'd like to stay here a few more minutes."

"Sure." She kissed his cheek, smiling warmly.

Justin returned his attention to the sun. He was able to look at it without squinting like mere humans and, goodness, it was so bright and luminous and beautiful. He stood in front of the shop, staring at the sun, until it slowly set behind the buildings, and Justin wanted nothing more than to chase it until the end of the world to see it some more.

He joined Ethan and Daphne at twilight, a smile permanently pasted on his face.

"Where have you been?" Ethan insisted. "The witch wouldn't tell me."

"Out." Justin shrugged.

"OUT?"

"Out." Justin grinned. "Here. Touch me." He extended his arm.

Ethan frowned when his fingers made contact with Justin's arm. "You're… hot."

"The sun is so beautiful. I think I'm in love."

Daphne giggled. "Don't let Brian hear that."

"Shut up, you." Justin stuck his tongue out.

"I don't get it," Ethan insisted, utterly confused.

Justin showed him the ring. "This helps me stay out in the sun."

"I did that for a reason. Don't forget it," Daphne warned him. "You need to lure Bernard away."

"You know..." Ethan said slowly, trying to grasp that Justin was able to be outside in the daytime. "You were in Los Angeles a while ago."

"Worst mistake of my life. I lived inside the condo I rented," Justin said promptly.

"Well, now you can be out and about..."

"And… your point is?"

"Didn't you make friends there? I was so close to getting to you, but then you were gone. The vampires you befriended there led me to your next stop - Chicago."

Justin laughed. "I still can't believe you stalked me. Uh, yeah. There is a clan that I befriended. I knew some of them from before."

Ethan nodded. "And from what I gathered from them, they know Bernard and hate him as much as everyone else."

"I don't want to involve anyone in our battle. This is between him and me."

"Then you have to set a trap - lure him somewhere, pick a fight, and then simply run outside. He'll follow you. I've visualized it in my head so many times. In all scenarios, he runs out after you," Daphne explained.

Justin sighed heavily. "I need to come up with something good to tell Brian."

"We'll figure out something. Don't worry." Daphne patted his leg.

"Until then, I have to focus on you, Ethan. Once I'm sure you're okay, I will take Bernard away and be done with him once and for all."

"Don't mind me," Ethan protested.

"Shut up. I'm not leaving your side until I'm sure you're okay."

"What about Brian? Didn't you say you were going to be with him every night?" Ethan smirked.

"Ugh."

"I'll take care of your friend. Go to Brian." Daphne urged him to leave since night had fallen over an hour earlier.

"I'll be here tomorrow, bright and early." Justin kissed Ethan's forehead. "Get better." He hugged Daphne tightly. "Thank you. I mean it. I doubt I can express in words how grateful I am for the ring."

She smiled, hugging him back. "My pleasure. Now go. You'll find him at Woody's."