Where Secrets Lie

Still upset by her conversation with Michael, Kara found her way to a familiar comforting place when Logan found her. She sat on the beach, the waves lapping at her toes. Kate and Hannah weren't the only ones spying on the garden that morning. Logan saw it all as well.

The sunset had turned the sky into a beautiful pink and purple painting. "The sky looks beautiful this evening," Logan said as he sat next to her.

"Oh God, not you again."

She felt her cheeks twitch and almost smiled before she caught herself. "Maybe. Every time we have these private discussions, you always have some great advice about how to deal with Michael, and it never seems to work."

"Who says it hasn't worked?" Logan said, offended.

"You knew he was getting married," she accused, "and you didn't seem to think that it was good advice to warn me about it."

Logan let the sand run through his tan fingers. "You're right. I should have told you. I didn't want you to give up on him though." Kara looked at him, intrigued. "Since you arrived at the Caswell mansion, we have all noticed a change in Michael's behavior. He's slowly returning to the Michael that he was before his mother died. I'm beginning to recognize him again as the friend that would have died for me. I never thought I would see him again."

Kara sat up, attentive. "What are you talking about?" She assumed Michael had always been the cold monster he was when she first met him because he never been a human.

"Years ago, before Michael's father, Alexander was killed, the Caswell clan was different. We never fed on humans who weren't willing, and we definitely did not use them as playthings, or kill them for our own amusement." Logan looked disgusted. "After the incident with Michael's mother, his uncle Elijah thought that we should adapt to the way that the Powell clan lived to gain back the favor that we lost with them. The betrothal of Hannah Powell and Michael Caswell was arranged as one of the terms of our alliance with them, and now the time has come for the Caswell clan to make good on their promise."

Kara felt her heart ache for Michael. She hadn't considered that Michael didn't have a choice. He didn't want to marry Hannah any more than Kara wanted him to get married. He was just a miserable pawn. Her stomach turned, and she fought back the tears as she recalled the hurt her words caused him.

"Many of us don't agree with the Powell's beliefs and don't approve of this marriage. I thought it was hopeless until you came along. I believe that you can remind Michael of what Alex taught him, and convince him to defy Elijah and call off this merger."

"I thought you were his best friend. Why can't you convince him that what he's doing is wrong? If you can't, then how am I supposed to?" The tears began rolling down her face.

"Don't you think I've tried? You've gotten through to him more in the past few months than I have in centuries. There's something special about you." He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Don't give up on Michael."

He was right. Even if it didn't always seem like it, she was special to Michael, and perhaps she could get through to him and make him realize this was a mistake.

"I won't give up on him, but you have to promise me something," she said.

"What is it?"

"I didn't come here for Michael or your clan. I came here for Alyssa," she said.

"That was apparent."

She had to finally admit that she was never going to make Alyssa stop loving Logan, and she really didn't want to. Logan was a good person, even if he was a vampire, and he treated Alyssa well. If she did something to interrupt their relationship, it would only hurt Alyssa and make Alyssa hate her. The only option she had was to trust Logan.

"Now, I am here for Michael, so I can't worry about Alyssa as much as I should, and maybe it's not even my job anymore. She's still so young and she needs you. Please take care of her." She paused and looked him dead in the eyes. "If you don't, you'll have to answer to me."

Logan stood up and brushed the sand off of his body. "You don't have to worry about her," he responded and started to walk away.

"Oh and Logan!" Kara yelled out. Logan looked back at her squinting his eyes from the sun. "Stop using the word betrothed."

Kara's joke broke the tension, and Logan chuckled as he headed back home. Kara turned back to the ocean with a determined look on her face as she watched the sun drop below the horizon.