Update 3.4

After graduation Hunter found a job at the news offices.  He was delivering the paper in the early hours of the morning but he was submitting write-ups in hopes to grab the editor's attention.

Hunter also threw himself into his workouts.  It was a great way to let off a little steam, especially because things weren't going well with Kimberly.

Ripley, of course, also spent time on the equipment for athletic training and Argus joined the boys.  Hunter jumped in with training when he could.

Hunter headed to the park to meet Kimberly after she called to ask him out.  It was a cold night and Hunter was lost in thought about what Kimberly meant when she said she needed to talk.  Sudden sobbing broken through his distraction and Hunter noticed the death of neighborhood resident.  It didn't matter the weather Death came for you when he deemed your time was up.  At least Hunter didn't have to worry about that for several centuries.

Hunter's hope-for-the-best mantra was diminished once he saw Kimberly's distraught look.  She didn't want to be tied down.  She thought they were much too young to claim each other for their entire lives.  Hunter couldn't disagree but hoped she changed her mind.  She proposed to let the Love Tester Machine make the decision.

After a less than dismal response from the love tester Kimberly decided they should see other people.  Hunter gave her a quick good-bye kiss and headed home.  He was certain that it was end by a long shot.

Meanwhile, Shanda went through transformation into a vampire.

With her newfound abilities Shanda poured herself into spell books.  She wouldn't talk to Ripley about it but she was definitely up to something.

Shanda wasn't a natural witch but she became quite the experienced witch practitioner.  She locked herself away with the cauldron every opportunity she had.

Shanda finally had the potion that she spent months perfecting.  She quickly mixed it into a glass of water and put it on the nightstand next to Ripley's side of the bed.

She took out a second flask and threw back her own sample of the potion.

Waking from a nap, Ripley reached for his water just as he always had done.

To Shanda's delight, Ripley had all the potion she slipped him.

Six weeks later Shanda had discovered her potion was successful.  She was able to create a tonic to reverse vampire infertility.

Shanda waited until after the first trimester to tell Ripley.  She wanted to make sure that the baby would stick.  Needless to say Ripley was quite shocked at the announcement.

With this new development Argus became Shanda's primary physician to monitor the progress of the pregnancy.  He had hopes that this was something that would help vampires have normal family lives.  Unfortunately, Shanda withheld the spell for her potion and wouldn't agree to marketing the tonic.

As for Hunter, seeing other people was easier said than done.  He didn't particularly want to see other people and was lonely without Kimberly.  He was still friends with Rocky but it was hard to be around him because of the chance that Kimberly might also be around.

Ripley and Shanda agreed to marry before the birth of their baby.  They threw a small, intimate wedding at home with family and close friends.

Hunter couldn't really avoid Kimberly being at the wedding.  The house was much too small and it would be noticeable.  He sucked up the awkwardness and invited Kimberly for a dance.

Later, after the guests had gone home, Shanda was cleaning up the dishes and party trash when she felt the first pains of labor.  Hours later they were strong and real and it was time to head to the hospital.