After three goes on the coaster, Laddie began to look a little green so they took a break.
"So what did you think Star?" Annie smiled at the young woman who looked like she was about to throw up. The boys sniggered at her.
"Whose for food?" Paul laughed clapping his hand together, Star groaned looking sick and Annie's stomach rumbled.
"That answers that huh." Marko grinned, "So what do we fancy?"
"Pizza?" Laddie cheered, he held Annie and Dwayne's hands and swung their hands slightly as they walked. They all agreed on Pizza and Annie let herself be led by the boys and Laddie dragging her. It was easy to forget about her life away from Santa Carla. It was just like being back at Castle Rock, being with the most dangerous people in the town with David by her side. The truth washed over her like cold water as they entered the Pizza place and everyone turned to face them. She was only here to see Jackson and Marie before she would be forced to finish turning. She shouldn't be wasting time running around with these fools when it would change nothing for her.

Annie's steps faltered and if it hadn't been for Laddie pulling her along and Marko right beside her then she probably would have made a dash for it but as it stood she let herself be ushered into the booth. Dwayne, Laddie and herself sat on one side with Star, David, Marko and Paul on the other, Annie sat on the end of the row and Paul sat across from her, he was drumming on the table with a knife and fork while head banging, his wild hair coming up and almost catching Annie in the face.
The boys laughed at him as a young attractive waitress arrived and Paul's eyes dragged up and down her figure, she blushed and Annie rolled her eyes. Marko caught her look and smirked at her.
"What can I get you guys tonight?" She asked, quite chipper to say she was serving the Lost Boys. Paul looked her up and down again, slowly so that she noticed, he broke out into a big grin, "What indeed?"
She flustered, her cheeks blazing red. David leaned his arm around Marko to give Paul a quick clip around the back of his head; he quickly moved his arm back when Paul looked around for the offending culprit.
"Laddie only has cheese, you good to share with him?" Marko asked Annie and she nodded and gave the little boy next to her a smile when he looked up at her thankfully. Marko turned his attention to the waitress, who Paul was flirting outrageously with, "One cheese and two meat feast." He gave her a wink.
"Please." Annie added and the boys laughed as the waitress left.
"Back in my day people used their manners." Dwayne mocked and Laddie covered his mouth to hide his giggle. Annie caught Dwayne's eye over the top of Laddie's head and mouthed to him 'Go fuck yourself' and the boys began cackling and Laddie looked between them all trying to figure out what was so funny.

"So Annie," David started, he slipped an arm on the back of Star's seat, "What brings you to Santa Carla?"
Annie could feel the boy's curious looks, even Star seemed interested, but worse she felt the familiar pressure of someone trying to access her mind. Annie took a moment and focused, Master had taught her how to block people out of her head, she'd gotten quite good at it but this was one against four. The boys scowled between themselves.
I'm not getting anything man Paul drawled to the boys between his mental link but physically he was flicking bits of napkin at Laddie.
Getting nowhere fast here, Marko agreed. They could feel Dwayne and David agreeing with them, Annie tried not to feel smug.
"Visiting friends." Annie told them eventually.
Paul leaned forward on his elbow, "Sounds vague girl, who you visiting?"
"Friends, weren't you listening?" Annie asked as she sat back into her seat and raised one eyebrow daring him to ask her something else. Paul gave her an unfazed grin, David smirked and Marko's eyebrows shot up at her. Whatever this chick was to David, he'd still been quite cagey telling them anything, she definitely would give their leader a run for his money for at least a few days.

"Will you come see us?" Laddie asked looking up at her through his curtain of hair.
Annie gave him a small smile, "While I'm here I'll come and see you," She poked his nose, and he giggled, "And Star of course."
Star, who hadn't said a word since coming in sat between the wall and David, looking and feeling small, looked up at the redheaded woman. She took in her soft smile and her relaxed position across from Paul after taking him down a peg and Star felt herself tear up. Annie blinked when she saw the girls glazed eyes, how long had the boys been breaking her down? She heard Dwayne scoff and David removed his arm from the back of her chair.
"For fuck sake girl." Paul murmured as the food arrived.

Annie manoeuvred the plates so that everyone could share the pizza's they wanted and glared at David's questioning look. Old habits die hard and she had used to do little caring things like that for David and his original gang. The boys didn't seem to mind things being sorted for them though but Laddie was the only one to politely thank her.
They ate in mostly quiet until Paul and Marko started to make each other laugh while eating and Paul ended up spitting half of his pizza out at Annie, Laddie and Dwayne. Marko laughed loudly and David smirked when Dwayne threw a slice of pizza right back into Paul's face and Annie wiped her and Laddie's face clean.
"Do you always eat like such a pig?" Annie asked, trying not to laugh at him scraping the sauce off of his cheek.
"Hey I've been on my best behaviour for you." Paul told her around a mouth full of food and Annie lifted up her napkin and pushed it into his open mouth, "Better." She nodded to himself. The boys laughed louder this time as Paul pulled the napkin out of his mouth dropped it onto his plate.
"So," Paul drawled and leaned forward on the table like he wanted to whisper to her but he still spoke loudly, "What do you think of the situation?"

David's face fell, if Paul couldn't read someone's mind he could be so obvious. That wouldn't work with Annie, she wouldn't just spill her guts to him, David had taught her better than that after all.
Annie raised an eye brow and Paul glanced his eyes sideways and inclined his head towards David and Star like he was being discreet.
"And I would have an opinion on that would I?" Annie asked, almost amused. Of course she had an opinion, that girl was tucked under the love of her life's arm, but they didn't need to know that.
Paul nodded and Annie leaned forwards on the table and leant on her forearms so that she was mimicking the wild blonde. She leant forward a bit more as though she was about to tell Paul a secret and whispered, "I think she can do a lot better."

Paul blinked before throwing his head back and howling a laugh right in her face, Marko and Dwayne joined in making the rest of the pizza shop turn to look at them. Laddie giggled enjoying the atmosphere and David sat back in his chair, his eyes narrowed dangerously as he took her in.
"Anyway," Annie started as the laughter died down, "I've got to head off." She dug into her pocket and put a few bills on the table before taking out the small bag of weed she'd taken off of Paul the previous night and threw it onto his plate. He gave it her a big grin as he passed the little bag to Marko and she gave both blondes a playful wink.

Paul jumped up and caught her and quickly Dwayne was on her other side, both of them holding one of her arms lightly, "We got all night yet, come on." Paul whined, "We got that whole bag to get through."
Annie looked behind them to glare at David; he's clearly given them both a nudge to catch her but he was giving her a bored look. Annie gently stepped away from the pair and they let her.
"How about me, Star and Laddie go on some more rides?" Annie proposed her question to everyone but her eyes were set straight on David.
He looked thoughtful for a moment, "Do you not want us around?" He asked his face blank.
"Yeah what're we supposed to do?" Marko jeered.
"You could always get lost." Annie tried and Paul smirked at her. David slipped out of the booth until he was stood in front of the redhead. He leaned down into her personal space, "Have them back at the bikes in an hour." He stepped away from her and with a gesture of his head he and the boys stalked out of the pizza place. Dwayne turned as he left and gave Laddie and Star a look that clearly said to behave.
"How did you do that?" Star whispered and Annie shrugged, she had a decent idea that David wanted to take a moment to get all his pieces back where he wanted them.

They left the pizza place with Laddie in the middle of them holding both of their hands, Anne could feel the other patrons watching them as they left and the trio got a few more interested glances as they headed back towards the boardwalk rides.
"Why don't we play some games, we don't want you being sick do we?" Annie asked Laddie as he swung her and Star's arms. He gave her a big grin and nodded up at her and she felt her heart clench. She could never have this. This wasn't her life, what was she even doing entertaining seeing David, his guys and this adorable little boy? It would only hurt her more in the end when she had to leave them. Why taste freedom and happiness when you know it will be taken away?

Annie knew the answer, because it would be taken away is exactly why she was doing this. She was savouring her last sweet taste of joy but she knew it was foolish. She could get this fucked up little family hurt with her antics. She could get David ripped apart if Master recognised David's scent anywhere near her.
Laddie whimpered and Annie loosened her grip on the poor boy, she leaned down and kissed the top of his head, "Sorry." Annie stood back up quickly leading them to the games, they fell into step behind her all still holding hands, people seemed less inclined to walk into her as she approached with her glare. The redhead knew she could be intimidating sometimes, of course she did, she'd kept David on his toes back in the day and years of being trapped in the dark and stuck with coven mates who hated her and a Master who hated her out of his sight…well she'd gotten a bit more intimidating to say the least.

They paused at hook-a-duck stand and Annie paid the stand holder when Laddie's eyes lit up. Three goes for five dollars, Annie knew it was money well spent when Laddie grinned and carefully held the pole in both hands and tried to guide the hooked end to the pool in the middle to hook up one of the rubber ducks. He almost got one but it dropped back off into the water.
"Try again." Annie urged, he dropped another duck and his grip on the pole tightened. Star bit her lip and watched awkwardly, she'd didn't want Laddie to lose his temper with the game and Vamp out, that's why he hardly got to play them anymore.
Annie leaned down behind him and held the pole just under where his hands where to help him hold it steady, the guy on the stand went to argue with her helping but Annie's cold stare cut him dead. Annie helped to guide him and together they picked up a rubber duck and pulled it back to the counter. The operator came over to them and snatched the pole from Laddie's grip but that didn't stop the boy smiling, he spat, "Pick your prize kid."
Laddie looked up at Annie but she gestured for him to pick whatever he wanted. He gave all the cuddly toys a glance and the toy cars and lastly the fish in the little bags. Annie half wanted him to pick that just to see David's face. Coming to a decision he paused and pointed at the large brown teddy bear, it looked a bit worse for wear but when the man passed it Laddie it was about half his size.
With the biggest grin Annie had seen him with, Laddie turned straight to her and held out the teddy bear.
Annie blinked, "Is this for me?" She asked slowly as he kept it held out towards her. He nodded and Annie stood staring at the little boy as though trying to figure out the situation. Annie knelt down and lifted both Laddie and the bear up spinning them around before dropping Laddie back on terra firma and kept the teddy hooked under her arm.
"Thank you Laddie, I'll keep this forever." Annie smiled, a genuine smile that took Star by surprise. She wasn't lying, with her mortal coil almost up she'd be able to keep this little, poorly sewn keepsake forever.
"Where to next?" She asked and Laddie cheered taking off towards another game with her and Star in tow.

They were sat on a bench eating cotton candy when Star finally spoke up, they'd been on most of the games and Laddie was now the proud owner of a three small toy cars and a magnetic fishing kit, Star had a plastic pink hairbrush that would definitely not survive her hair.
"You need to stay away from them." Star whispered and Annie was barely sure she'd heard it.
"What's that?" Annie asked around the mouth full of pink sugar.
"You need to stay away from the boys." Star snapped this time and Annie side eyed Laddie to make sure the kid was occupied.
"Jealous?" Annie teased, she knew what Star was getting at, of course she did but she couldn't let on.
"You don't understand!" Star protested, "they're dangerous and if you make them interested in you then you'll get yourself killed or worse."
Annie raised an eyebrow and hoped her act was believable, "What's worse than killed?"
Star looked on the verge of aggravated tears and she caught Annie's hands in her own, "Trust me you don't want to know. You have to believe me, don't trust them. You don't know what they're capable of."
"Okay." Annie breathed eventually and Star seemed to relax a little, "I'm leaving in two weeks, until then I'll keep my head low but I will be checking up on Laddie and you if they're as dangerous as you say they are."
"No you can't –" Star began to protest but Annie quickly cut her off.
"Star this is my final word on the matter, I'll avoid them but not you two." Annie stated calmly and she felt Star begin to ease at the redheads words, she finished, "Speaking of which we better get you two back, I'm sure we don't want them to come looking for us."

The trio walked lazily back to where Annie had first met the group earlier that night. Star tensed at the sight of a group of five surf Nazi's just in front of them
"Little lost girl!" One of them called, his hair was bright orange and him and all of his friends where all fairly well built.
Annie stepped around Laddie and Star so that she was stood closest to the guys, her protective instincts kicking in, "Friends of yours?" She asked Star who shook her head.
"Little lost boy! Little Lost girl! Who's your friend?" They jeered as they stood in front of the trio.
"Excuse me." Annie gave them a small smile. One of the guys stood close to her, his whole body almost pressed against her side, she could feel him breathing into her hair. But she didn't look away from the guy in front of her, he was the top dog, why deal with anyone below?
"What the rush?" Top-Dog asked her.

Annie gave him a small smile, all she wanted to do was punch the guy by her side in the face but she could see Laddie and Star moving closer to her as the guys almost herded them towards a side street, this was not going well.
"Our friends our waiting on us."
"The Lost Boys?" Top-dog snickered, "you'd have much more fun with us babe."
Almost as if that was permission the guy at her side plunged his hand into her hair pulling back until her lip curled into a snarl and she dropped the teddy that Laddie had given her. Laddie jumped out of Star's arms and tried to push the man off of her screaming at him.

It went downhill from there.

Annie was thrown into the alleyway, Star pushed in soon after and one of the goon's held Laddie who was kicking and shouting against his captor. Star whimpered, and Annie whipped her head around thankful that her half-Vampire eyes were more adjusted to the dark than the humans surrounding them. Two stood behind her and Star, one to her right side holding Laddie and another two at the mouth of the alley, keeping them trapped. She wouldn't be able to beat these guys on her own and them having both Laddie and Star as leverage only made things worse.
"Star," Annie whispered and she felt the girl grab her hand, "I'm going to do something very stupid, once I do, run. Go get David, hell get anybody because I can't think of a way to get you and Laddie out of this alley."
Star shook her head, "No they'll hurt-"
Again that night Star was cut off. Annie rose and steadily walked to the guys at the front of the alleyway, it was Top-Dog and the one who had sniffed her hair.

"Where you tryna go?" Top-dog asked and Annie did her best to make herself seem small.
"I know what's going to happen," She whispered and ignored their smug faces, "I just – I haven't before and I'd rather enjoy it than not." Annie stepped up to Top-Dog and acting as meek as she dare, leaned up and pushed her lips to his, taking the edge of his jacket and pulled him backwards until her back hit the alley wall.

Annie wanted to be sick. The guy pushed himself against her kissing her harshly. This wasn't anything like David's kiss that made her heart flutter or her Master's whose kiss, by all accounts, left her feeling safe because he clearly loved her deeply. No this sickened her but it worked. With him pushing her up against the wall there was a gap at the end of the alley and Star darted towards it, hitting the other goon with the plastic hairbrush as he tried to reach for her.
Star could hear her heartbeat in her ears and the thundering behind her down the boardwalk, she dared a glance back and her heart dropped, two of the men were right on her tail. Her feet ached as they slapped along the boardwalk but then she saw them. Paul came into view first, he was trying to walk along the railing near the bikes while Marko and Dwayne pelted him with pebbles. David sat back on his bike amused at his brothers being idiots.
"David!" It came out more like a screech than she'd meant it too but all four boys snapped to look at her and her followers, it even made Paul fall very ungracefully from his rail. He fell onto the floor and shook his mess of blonde hair, "What you been up to now?"

Star skidded behind David, something which set the boys on edge since she couldn't stand to be near him since she'd drank the blood, "Annie and Laddie they're down there still, we need to help." She rushed it all out.
The guys following came to a stop close to the boys, too close to get away and Dwayne caught one by the collar of his shirt and roughly pulled him down to the floor, slamming him down with Dwayne's knee in his chest as he landed. He coughed and Dwayne could see tears spring up into his captive's eyes. The other turned and sprinted in the other direction, the boys let him go, he couldn't hide from them forever.
"Stay." Dwayne snarled down at his pinned victim before the boys took off after Star back down the boardwalk. Their minds bashed together, they could smell blood, half vampire blood and they'd gathered too much of an audience to fly or run faster than a human. Not that it stopped Paul or Dwayne, using their long legs as an excuse they skidded to the end of the Alley before Star had even stopped. Laddie was stood looking into the alley, his hair was a mess and his cheeks and eyes were puffing and red. He held the teddy he'd gotten Annie in his arms since he'd picked the forgotten toy back up and he gripped its fur until his knuckles turned white.
Paul swooped him up and passed him to Star and his face was buried in her mess of hair as she tried to stop him sobbing. The boys stopped trying to taking in the sight. They didn't know how to process it.

Something's not right about this, Dwayne warned them and Marko mumbled about that being obvious.

With their vision they could see clear as day the three slumped figures, that made five people for them to go after once they'd finished here, the one who'd ran and the one to scared to pick himself up off of the boardwalk. Annie was stood with her side to them, she had both hands planted firmly on the wall and she swung her leg back and kicked one of the men, he had a mess of orange hair, in the ribs.
"You. Stay. Away. From. Them." She punctuated each word with a kick and when the man shouted in pain the boys smelt the blood he was coughing up. Annie crouched down and gripped his face, her nails digging into his face, "Am I understood?"
He made no response, his eyes rolling around in his head, so Annie pushed his head back down into the pavement, trying not to smirk when she heard the thud. She stood and turned to face the boys. Her chest was heaving; her blue eyes looked wild with adrenaline and the thrill of the fight. Her lip was busted and swollen and the blood from it trailed down her neck weakly under it settled where her shirt had be torn from the collar down to under her arm. On the same side a dark sticky patch of blood on her hip caught the boy's noses and when Marko helped her out of the Alley with a hand on her shoulder, David went straight to her.

He caught her chin and looked over the damage just like he'd done after fights with her father. God her blood smelt good. She wasn't looking at him though, she watched Laddie peak out from under Star's hair at Dwayne who quickly checked the pair over for injuries. They were part of the Lost Boys, even if they hadn't wanted them at first, and that meant no one was allowed to hurt them.
"You okay Laddie?" Annie asked softly and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw his mop of hair nod, yes he was okay.
"What happened?" David's voice cut through her and she narrowed her eyes him.
"Well these guys seemed to know you, and Laddie and Star. They weren't very friendly." Annie growled and him, he still held her chin and he smudged the blood on her chin with a gloved thumb.

"We should get you checked out." Star mumbled. Laddie had let himself be put down but he stayed close to Marko so she was free to come to Annie's side and she crouched down and gently pulled the redhead's shirt away from the bleeding wound on her hip. The movement against tender skin made Annie jump forward so that she almost head-butted David but her caught her arms at the last second.
"How about some warning next time?!" Annie hissed the threat as she pulled her arms back from David and stepped away from Star's probing fingers so she could assess the damage herself. The slash covered her hip, it was long and thin and not that deep at all, and Annie doubted if she was entirely human if she'd even need snitches. Sure she'd seen the knife and she was sure she'd sidestepped it but trying to keep an eye on Laddie must have dampened her reactions.
"Well shit." She mumbled to herself, gently pressing the skin around the slash, she hissed in a breath and looked up at her little audience before mumbling, "I have to go."

"Lil Red you're a mess, your coming home with us." Paul nodded, having seemingly decided and agreed with himself in one utterance.
Annie shook her head, her hair was a mess from the encounter and it fell around her face in awkward angles as she dropped her shirt back down, "No I have to go now." Annie let her jacket fall back gently over the cut.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" David asked quietly as she had tried to quickly move away.
Annie furrowed her brow in confusion for a moment, "I'm sure Laddie can keep my teddy safe for a night or two before I see him again."

Laddie nodded looking determined and Dwayne and Marko smirked when they read the little boys thoughts to hear he'd decided to keep it away from Paul at all costs. The blonde in question pouted and David gave her a mocking shake of the head, "No."

"Then what?" Annie snapped and David raised his eyebrows before glancing down the Alley way where Top-Dog lay slumped along the wall still. Her knife stuck of his thigh and it bled heavily down his leg.

Shit.

David had taught her that damn trick back in Castle Rock, I some creep gets the jump on you then you stab them in the thigh and twist. Minimum effort, high bleed out rate and enough time to get away. It was possibly the most useful thing he'd ever taught her.

David stepped by her and into the alley, with one foot on the guy's chest he leaned down and yanked the blade out. He stalked back over to them and held it up in front of her but moved it out of her reach when she went for it.
"You can come and get this," He smirked, getting into her face, "When you come see us again."
Annie snarled at him and turning on her heel she stormed off faster than expected with her hip injury. The boardwalk was getting quiet now and he ran his tongue up the blade taking off the blood as he watched her walk away.
"Marko make sure she gets back okay." He instructed and the blonde was off on her heels. Star was glaring at him away and he could faintly hear her mind questioning his heartlessness. He almost laughed, this stomach was torn up with worry for his mate and the rest of his pack knew that. But letting Annie know it now, at such a crucial stage in trying to figure out how she could be here, wouldn't help any of them.

"Three against one man, she must be good." Paul let out a low whistle and was smoking on their way back to the bikes.
"That still leaves two." Dwayne's voice cut through and the other boys could feel his bloodlust prickle on the back of their necks.
"It's too late tonight." David told him, his word final as he climbed back on his bike, he'd given Paul a pointed look to take Star so he could ride alone. Feeling Dwayne's anger at his decision, David gave him a dark chuckle and slapped his brother on the shoulder, "Tomorrow we can savour the moment."
Dwayne smirked, David may be a bastard but it worked for the group.