I DO NOT OWN CIRQUE DU FREAK

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(Darren's POV)

I threw back the hood of my cloak and smiled up at my awestruck friends. "I'm Darren Shan, Vampire Prince."

I stood there, smiling. Finally, after five long years, I was finally able to tell my friends I was alive. They were standing in front of me now, with their jaws on the floor. Slowly, their faces changed to their own individual emotions. Arrow, disbelief. Mika, anger. Harket, happiness. Vancha, gratefulness. Gannen, weary (with, was that hope?).

"Impossible!" Arrow exclaimed.

"Where the hell have you been?" Mika bellowed.

"Darren!" Harket cried and ran over to me.

"Hello, everyone," I laughed. "How have you all been?" They all gave me a look like I was crazy.

"Story time!" Larten screamed. His brother started clapping his hands, showing he approved. The Vampire Princes, little person, and vampaneze all looked at them funny, while I laughed. I walked over to the one empty throne, my throne, and sat down.

"That's right, little men," I responded, "But it's not like you have never heard it before." the twins both ran from their dads and came over to me. They reached their arms up, and I picked them both up and put one on each knee. I looked up at the others. "Don't be fooled by what I'm about to say. This is a true story. Every single word of it."

I went on to tell them about the battle at the Cirque du Freak (while some of them were there, they don't know the whole story). How Steve and I found out that we were the sons of Mr. Tiny. How I killed Steve, and let him kill me so I wouldn't destroy the world. I told them I ended up in the Lake of Souls because I couldn't forgive myself for killing Steve. I told of Evanna's deal with our father, how she didn't regret it, and why I was brought back, but not Steve. (When I said Steve was still dead, the glimmer of hope in Gannen's eyes died). They learned of the rules I had to follow, the secrets I had to keep, and how I had to be Evanna's slave. (They laughed at this). They learned more of the two young brothers on my lap.

When I was finally done, it was nearing dawn. The twins had fallen asleep on my lap towards the end of the story. I watched them sleep. They were hugging each other, and looked like the cutiest eight year olds ever (even if they are five). I started thinking how they were originally made, just to bring me back to life, but how many lives their births impacted. I love them, like nephews (which they are).

I looked up at my friends. They all looked like they believed me.

"That would explain why Evanna suddenly agreed to have kids," Gannen pondered.

"Also, why the child is named Larten," Mika added, "You named him, didn't you Darren?" I nodded.

"And why...Tommy, Darren, seemed so...fimilar," Harket thought aloud. A general mumer of agreement followed both statements.

"But what I don't understand," stated Arrow, "is how Mr. Tiny was Darren and Steve's dad, but Darren had a dad, and neither were told that they were adopted." Everyone turned to me for the answer.

I thought about it for a few minutes. Finally, I settled on an answer, or a few theories. "Well, I have no clue. But I have a two guesses. Now a days, in the human world, it is not uncommon for parents who adopt to not tell their adopted child that they are adopted. Something about wanting them to not feel like they don't belong in the family. Another guess, it's Mr. Tiny. If he can bring me back to life, then why can't he put his kid in some random two ladies. But, I promise, if I find out how I was born, I'll tell you. That is, if you really want to know."

They all thought about my ideas, and seemed to accept that there was simply no answer to the question.

A yawn broke the scilance of the room. I looked at my lap to see that the twins were waking up. I looked up at the others and asked, "Is there any where in the mountain I can put them to bed?"

"Of course. I will show you to the room we had put aside for them, and help with your bags," Vancha offered. I nodded and picked the kids up. After having them sitting on my lap for hours on end, my legs were numb, but I was still able to walk while carrying the pair.

Before I followed Vancha out of the Hall of Princes, Arrow stopped me. He came up to me, and put the hood of my cloak up. When I gave him my confused look (which all of the Princes are very accustom to) he smiled at me and said, " No need for rumors to go flying around that your back from the dead. We will announce it to everyone tomorrow night." I nodded my head once, and left to follow Vancha.

As I followed him through the halls of the mountain neither of us spoke. It took me a few moments, but I soon realized that Harket had come with us. A few minutes after my amazing discovery, we arrived at a room near were mine and Harket had shared a call in that past.

Harket opened the door I brought Larten and Hibernius to the one big bed set up, and layed them down on it. "Can one of you hand me the blue bag?" I asked them. One of them handed it to me, and I went in the bag and got out their pajamas. I quickly changed the both of them and tucked them in. We all quietly left the room.

"Do you need any food or blood before bed, Darren?" Vancha questioned.

"No," I answered, "But thank you anyhow. All I really need to know is where I am going to sleep."

"Our room still has...you hammock," Harket offered.

"Thanks, Harket," I smiled at him.

Vancha bid us good night and turned to leave. He started walking to his room when I called out to him, "It does get easier, Vancha. Being a dad."

"If you say so, Darren," he called back.

I do. I thought as he turned out of sight. I do.

After Harket and I got to our room, I layed down in my hammock and he went and stood in his corner. He was asleep soon after. But I stayed awake, thinking about it all. And when I say it all, I mean it all. Going all the way back to when me and Steve saw the Cirque du Freak for the first time. I missed Mr. Crepsley. He was like a father to me. Better then Mr. Tiny, and there longer then my dad when I was human. Being here reminded me of him. I had never been to Vampire Mountain for long periods of time without him.

"Well, Mr. Crepsley," I spoke into the darkness, "The more I think about it, the more I realize, if I think dad, your face pops into my head. Not my human Dad's, not Mr. Tiny's. Yours. Your my dad Mr. Crepsley. This is what you get for blooding a child. But I hope everything I'm doing, everything I did and will do, will make you proud. I'll make my second chance count and, in a few hundred years, I'll see you in Paradise. But, until then, even in death may you be triump." I rolled over. I was happy to have this second chance, to be here with my fellow vampires, to be alive. Happy to be back from the dead.

Fin.

I know, the ending was sappy, but I'm a sucker for the parental fluff. I might do a sequel, I might not. Tell me what you think about that, cause right now I'm leaning towards not. So tell me what you think.

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Thanks for reading till the end, even if it's not that long (or is it? I have no clue what the final word count is).