Any characters/plots/histories/circumstances, etc. found within the movie/novelization/script or otherwise stated for the movie The Lost Boys isn't mine. Duh. Any characters/plots/histories/circumstances, etc. not found within the movie/novelization/script or otherwise stated for the movie The Lost Boys is mine. So no touchy.

Didn't have to wait too long, right? This is it--the final story of the Changing Light Series. There'll be more stories to come after this but when it comes to Changing Light, it's just a trilogy. If you haven't read the other two stories, I'd recommend it so you understand the references I make to previous plots and so you'll know why the deuce Detta is there is begin with.

A tip of the hat to Dyllan Thomas for the story title (slightly skewed) and to Shakespeare for the chapter title. I hope you like it! Enjoy!

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Detta walked into the lobby from the tunnel that led back to her and Marko's hideaway. He had sent her ahead, telling her he'd be out in a minute. Everyone was flitting about: David sat on his self-absorbed throne looking to be deep in thought; Star sat on the other side of the cave, a lost look of both boredom and complacency hidden behind her veil of lace hanging from a ledge to block out her bed; Laddie sat behind her, happily playing with some toys while Paul sat on the edge of the fountain, drumming his hands on his knees to the low music coming from the beat box. Dwayne, however, wasn't anywhere she could see. His books lay lonely on the shelves and his corner couch lacked a body. Detta frowned around the room one last time, making sure that he really wasn't around.

"Where's Dwayne?" Her voice echoed around the stone walls.

Paul chuckled, his rippling tone chasing hers around the room. "He's on a date!"

Detta's eyes widened, her interest piqued. "Really? With who?"

"Who do you think?" grunted David from his chair.

"Maria?"

Paul smiled as he bit his lower lip and nodded. "Finally got the guts to ask her out."

"Finally! It's only been years!"

"He's had his eye on her since before you showed up. Since she dragged herself off the beach."

"That's great! Where'd they go?"

Paul shrugged. "Don't know. He just said 'out.'"

Detta smiled. "I know Maria will tell me everything when I go in tomorrow."

"Be sure to get all the gossip you can get. Savor it. I won't have another one around," David said snidely.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Detta asked as she walked around Paul and towards David, making sure to keep her distance. "What, jealous that Dwayne can still feel?"

David laughed a sadistic laugh. "He doesn't feel anything—"

"That you'll admit to—"

"He just sees Marko, sees you, and wants the same thing. As much as he's a loner, he wants a companion."

"Ah yes. God forbid your boys find whatever the vampire equivalent is of happiness in their never-ending lives. I forget that you're the only one that gets to be happy."

"It causes clutter, Detta," David growled.

"And you don't get it, do you? You get to cycle out a new plaything every few years but the rest of them don't get shit. Where do you come off thinking that you're the only one that can be above misery?"

David thrust himself from his chair and straight at Detta, standing inches from her, her comfort zone crumpled. "Because I am the leader of this group."

"You know damn well who the leader is," Detta growled.

David ignored her. "I create the order around here and everyone else follows."

A cocky smile came over Detta's face. "But you keep getting overridden, don't you? Me, Laddie. Looks to me like you don't have as much power as you say you do."

"Is your goal to get punished again? Keep it up and I'll dole it out worse than before."

"You're a control freak, David. You have to learn that we're not your patsies."

"And you need to learn your place. With age come status and since I'm the oldest, I'm in charge."

A sense of defeat suddenly overcame her. There was no point arguing with him. It wasn't going to get her anywhere except into another punishment and that was the last thing she wanted. Max was the appeal process and if Dwayne had plans to bring Maria into the fold like Marko had Detta, he'd get it done. None of them were dumb and all of them knew David well enough to know about his want for control. Detta's body visibly relaxed, her face slackened and David pulled himself up, a slight smirk on his face.

Detta shrugged her shoulders. "I know an uphill battle when I see one. Whatever you say, David. Whatever you say."

She started walking away when he called to her. "You're still our sister."

She turned back around. David's hands were in his pockets, his face expressionless. Detta nodded slightly. "And you're still my brothers."

A faint smirk crawled across his face. Detta didn't return the gesture. It was a momentary truce and while he called it first, Detta was the one to walk away and he knew it. She caved to him, regardless of the reason. It was what she was supposed to do, after all.

She wanted air, something outside the cave. She just couldn't be around David right now. They both knew he had immense control over her and they both knew, Detta more than David, that she would do anything to avoid another punishment, especially by his hands. He still didn't know about her past, or about anything that transpired in New York and she was sure that those thoughts would be the first targeted. She ambled past Star's hideaway on her way to the entrance. Detta was past it when she felt fingertips on her bare shoulder. She turned around and Star stood before her, her eyes wide and questioning.

"Could I ask you something?" Star's voice was barely a whisper.

Detta nodded. "Yeah, sure."

"Over here." Star motioned towards a darkened corner nearer the cave's entrance. "I don't want David to hear." If Detta hadn't been a vampire, she wouldn't have heard those words. Detta followed her out of earshot of the rest of the boys albeit still relatively visible. Should Detta and Star start conversing in secret together, out of sight, David would surely get suspicious and they could both end up punished. "Where do you guys go when you leave me and Laddie behind?" Star whispered once Detta was looking at her.

Detta merely shrugged her shoulders. "Hunting."

Star shook her head. "No. You guys don't hunt in a group a lot. You just said David gets overridden. By who?"

Detta shifted uncomfortably. Star wasn't supposed to know about Max until she was turned completely. If she was caught discussing this with Star, Detta would face Max's punishment, let alone David's. "Never you mind. It doesn't concern you."

Detta started to walk away but Star lightly grabbed her arm, wanting her to turn back around. "Please. David said everything was going to be ok from now on. I was part of the family once I drank . . . I don't think I want this . . . I know I don't want this. Please, is there some way to fix it? If not for me, for Laddie? He's just a little boy. He doesn't deserve this. He should be home with his family."

Star was talking mutiny and now she was putting Detta in danger with such talk. Didn't she know these were her brothers, her family? Detta wasn't like Star, hardly ever was. There was no time for thought or turning back. It was done and it was final. Detta knew no way of reversing it, nor did she want to. If she did, her and Marko would cease to exist. That was something she couldn't bear to happen. At this point, Detta was determined to put her own welfare above Star's. It was best for both of them. It would force Star to keep quiet, stay to herself. There was no one else she could confide in and if Detta crushed her traitorous actions early enough, perhaps Star would forget about them completely and either fulfill David's request or . . . not. At the same time she would save her own skin, avoid a punishment and everyone gets to stay alive. It was best for both of them.

"I know nothing, Star, and," Detta lowered her voice, "it would do you good never to mention those things again, especially to me. You have no idea how risky it is for me to hear that, what with David on my ass all the time. And keep talking like that, you won't have a choice whether you live or die. Be content, Star. Just . . . pretend to be happy. Be happy for Laddie; keep his spirits up but no more of this. You risk too many people when you open your mouth like that.

"Detta."

Marko had come out of the back tunnel and was walking up to the cave entrance, ready to gather Detta to go out. She turned back around to face Star but she was looking down at Detta's hand. She grabbed it and held it up, studied the ring for a moment before letting Detta go. Star gave her a futile smile, her eyes glistening.

"I just want to be happy," Star whispered to her.

Detta gave her an understanding, almost compassionate, look. Marko, while walking in at the tail end of the conversation, had heard all he needed to hear to piece the puzzle together. He wound his fingers into Detta's, gently pulling her towards him, letting her know it was time for them to go.

Detta returned the same smile. "I'm sorry," she whispered back to Star as she left the cave with Marko.

Detta was sorry, though. She was sorry Star was roped in and manipulated by David. She was sorry that Star had been lied to, tortured at David's leisure into joining the family against her will. Detta was sorry that Star had no way out. She was trapped in a misnomer. Was her family any better for Star than her old one or just simply different? She was stuck without anyone to help her but herself and she wasn't strong enough to do it, not now, not that she was starving herself. Detta probably would have felt the same way if Marko hadn't been around. At least she had him. Star, on the other hand, was very much alone.

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