Chapter One: Freedom

I sighed heavily as I sat on the porch of my home in Hidden Springs. I sat there thinking to myself about all that my family had so recently endured. It seemed like it had only been a few weeks, but quite some time had passed since we ran from Appaloosa Plains. There were still nights Alexander had nightmares and Austin and I let him sleep with us. The events of the last several years hit all three of us really hard.

I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes as the memories rushed to the forefront of my mind.

My sister's body falling to the ground...

Austin's frenzy to get us as far from Appaloosa Plains as we could go...

Athena watching us leave...

Wishing I could say goodbye to my mother and father...

And then we ran.
We ran through the snow lightly and as quietly as we could. We managed to escape Appaloosa Plains, but we were far from safe yet. We were headed to Hidden Springs. We needed a place that was safe, out of the way. Somewhere that we wouldn't be found by anyone who might try to harm us.

"Mom, Dad... I'm getting tired" Xander called from behind Austin and me, "I know it's important we keep moving, but can we just take a small break? I can't keep up with you guys anymore."

"We're almost there. It couldn't hurt to take a small break if you're feeling tired, Buddy," Austin said. We walked away from the road we'd been running next to where there was a small secluded park. Which seemed like a nice place for a trio of refugee vampires to rest.

Alexander allowed himself a moment to relax and sat down on a small hill.
"Are you ok Sweetheart?" I asked as I sat down next to him.
"Yeah I'm ok... I was just wondering what our new home is going to be like," he muttered to himself.

"I can tell you exactly what it's going to be like Xander. Happy," I said with a smile on my face.
"How do you kno-" He started to say when I cut him off.
"Because no matter what hardships our family goes through we will always be together. I'm not letting anything separate us again."
Xander's eyes filled with tears, and from the corner of my eye I noticed Austin look as if he'd wiped away a tear.
"I love you Moma,"
"I love you most Xande-"

I shot straight up from where I'd been sitting next to Xander. I could smell it. A sickeningly sweet sent that would drive a normal vampire nuts, but a starving one? That would end badly. I was trying to suppress my thirst, I really was.

Until I caught view of the foolish human. I could hear his heart beat, smell his flesh, see the blood flowing through his veins. I couldn't control myself anymore and within an instant I was at his side

and draining him of the sweet warm blood that ran through his veins. I moaned in ecstasy as his warm blood raced down my throat and renewed my strength with each drop I stole from him. He screamed in protest and tried desperately to escape my grip, until he was completely dried out.
I let his lifeless body fall to the ground and watched it lay there as snow began to cover it. What... what had I done? I stared at the dead body in front of me. He couldn't have possibly been more than 19 years old.

"Willow are you ok?! I heard-" Austin stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the body on the ground. "Willow you didn't..." I turned my head away and nodded
. It took everything in me to fight back tears. I killed someone... for the first time in my life I had killed someone, but the worst part... I didn't even care, and that apathy scared me.

"What is the matter with you Willow?" Austin shouted at me. "You're fully aware of how careful we need to be and I'm pretty sure Hidden Springs doesn't want a murderer moving in!"

"Get off my back Austin! No one's going to catch us, and no one will know it was me!" I yelled back at him. "You don't know that for certain Willow! What if someone does find out?! I don't know what you've heard but vampires don't really live in Hidden Springs." I looked away from him and started crying.

"I know my love, I know," Austin repeated as he held me. "We're gonna be ok. I know you were thirsty. I am too, but you can't let that take over who you are, ok?"
"Ok..." I whispered in between sobs. "Lets keep moving. We should be at the town hall within ten to fifteen  minutes," He said and then turned to go.

"Mom are you ok?" Xander asked when I got over to him. "I'm just fine dear. Are you ready to keep going?" I asked gently. He wasn't a full grown vampire so I knew he got tired easily.
"Absolutely," He smirked and took off running after his father. I laughed and ran to catch up them, and we just left that poor boys body there on the ground and being covered with snow...

"We're here," Austin sighed in relief when we arrived at the town hall. I think we were all relieved to have finally made it. We all went inside filled out the necessary paperwork vampires had to fill out when switching towns they lived in, and spent even move time filling out paperwork that made it so our files were not able to be seen except for by the highest ranking people. After hours of paper work though Austin and I were able to use all the money we had saved up and get a down payment on a house.

It was an gorgeous large cabin far from the main city, and had an amazing view. It was absolutely perfect for our family. After all the running... After all the pain... We finally had a home.

I opened my eyes as a tear rolled down my cheek. I shivered as the rain came down even harder. I figured I should probably go inside, but I had something important I needed to take care of first.

So I stood up and went inside. Only to go back outside into the rain and wait in front of the door for my ten year old son to get home from his first day of school in Hidden Springs.

"Willow, come inside it's freezing out here," Austin said as he stepped out of the house.
"I'll be inside in a few minutes Austin," I replied without so much as glancing back at him.
"Come on Willow. You're gonna catch a cold and I don't need the two of you getting sick."
"I know, but I promised Xander I would be here waiting for him when he got home from his first day of school," I said as I leaned on the porch's railing. "Then I'll wait with you," Austin smiled and kissed my cheek.

Sure enough within the next five minutes Alexander came home and a huge smile spread across his face when he saw Austin and I standing at the stairs waiting for him..

"Mom! Dad!" He cheered as he ran through the rain toward us.

I wrapped my arms around my son as he reached us. We were finally a real family again, and we were all safe. Austin, Xander, myself, and the soon to be newest member of the vampiric side of the Hunter family.
We knew things weren't perfect, but as long as we had each other, we could get through anything.