Happy birthday,” she said. “And next time? Eat the stupid cupcake.

I’m taking off my shoes.’’ ‘‘Fine. Shoes off.’’ ‘‘And my pants.’’ ‘‘Don’t push it, Claire.

Even in an apocalypse like this, surely running out of Coke qualified as a disaster.

Besides," Shane said "I want to see Monica's face when she catches sight of the two of you. Kodak moment.

I so rarely have the chance to field-test anything. Amelie is so conservative about these things -Myrnin

Claire, I-Look, my life is one long series of screw-ups and bad decisions, and I know that. I own that. But you...I just want you to be happy. And it cuts me when you're not." "I'm happy with you." She heard the smile in his voice this time. "So what do you really want? A storybook life in Vampireville, with your life on the line every day and a half?" "I'm considering it," she said. And she was.

There were so many layers of reality to the world. Nothing stopped for death; nothing stopped for grief or horror or tragedy.