AN: Ok, so it bugged me that I'd deviated from the movie. I'm reworking the story again. Same ideas and themes, just fixed a few details. I hope. I remain interested in Beta readers for this.

Dusk, the day Priest delivers the head of a vampire to Cathedral City.

The Priestess stands on the outskirts of the burned-out town of Jericho, awaiting the Priest's return. As night falls over the wastes the wake of a jet-bike stirs the dust into clouds. The speed and patterning of the wake indicate it is a Priest's bike. As it approaches, she can see it is him, returning alone. She sighs, relieved.

He looks grim as he parks his bike. She knows the Clergy have not come on side.

"I've notified the others. We'll meet you at the rendezvous point in City 7." The Priests at least will stand against the vampires. As always. Every remaining one answered her call.

He does not spare the energy even to speak his assent, merely nodding.

"God Speed." She says, and watches his bike ride off into the sunset, before riding out herself to City 7.

The town is quiet as he pulls in. There is one reason he has returned to this place. It is time to say his farewells to his daughter.

Hicks meets him in the street outside a half-burned house. "I found an old strong-room in the basement: thick walls, strong bars." He gestures towards the building. "We'll hole up here until morning, make our way to Augustine."

Priest nods. "Good."

Priest walks towards the building, Hicks stepping quick to catch up. "The Priestess told us what your plan is. I hope you don't mind me saying, but it sounds like madness."

"It's what we were trained for." Priest replies.

"In that case, best wishes."

They step inside the building, descending to the basement. Lucy stands facing them, a shotgun in one hand. She puts it on a nearby table as she sees it is Priest.

"Lucy." Priest says as she darts forward.

"You're injured." She says, remembering, stopping herself from hugging him.

"I've had worse."

"Yeah, you kind of look like it."

She says, looking at the pale scars that crisscross his flesh, reaching up to touch one on his cheek. He takes her hand in his own, and pulls it off his face, not wanting her to touch his scars. He didn't have them when he left her as a baby, he was young and whole then. He holds her hand in his, looks at their hands together. It's an odd juxtaposition. Her hand young and unmarked, his own hand calloused and beaten. Both with the same long fingers and strong bones.

"Do you have to go?" She asks.

"I'm a soldier. This is a war." He says. "I'm sorry. I'm a poor excuse for a father."

"You saved me. I thought I'd lost everyone, and I thought I was going to die alone, or worse. But you saved me, you and Hicks. Then that .. that monster of a man almost killed you in front of me. And now you're leaving again, to go find more of them." She looks like she wants to cry.

"The first time I left you, it was for the same reason. To give you a future, safe nights to sleep in." He takes a pained breath. "I'm a Priest. A soldier. A good one."

"Then why come for me?" She demands.

"There would be no point to any of this if I hadn't come for you." He confesses.

"Really?" She asks, and he nods. Lucy steps forward and hugs him then, awkwardly, trying to avoid his wounds. Priest freezes, unsure what to do, or feel.

"Don't push me away." Lucy says, her face on his chest. "You're my long lost father. So suck it up and let me hug you, ok?" He relents then, and puts his arm around her, kissing her hair then tucking her head under his cheek. It's so sad and so wonderful that she's grown up without him, a strong young woman. "Lucy." he sighs, his emotions raw on his face.

"I don't know what to call you." She says. "Papa was Papa."

He hesitates. "I became a Priest a long time ago."

She smiles a little, sadly. "That's a good thing, right? Because being a good vampire killer is what made you a bad father, right? So you're going to survive this, right?"

"I can't make promises like that. But I'll be trying my best." There's a sadness in his eyes as he says it. "I've only just met you, after all."

"I'll take it." Lucy leans in again and rests her head against his uninjured shoulder. "Isn't there anywhere safe to go?"

"Not for me. But for you, I sorely hope so."

"Then stay with me." Her eyes plead with him.

"I can't. Stay with Hicks." She looks upset so he continues quickly.

"You will be safer out here. If you hide well, the vampires will not find you. Nor will the Church. Trust Hicks, he has good instincts. Trust your own too, you seem to have my talents. I will come back, soon. Maybe only a week."

"Yes, sir." She stands to attention. Priest looks nonplussed and she explains. "I'm stuck in this war too. We all are. Might as well fight. That means I'm a soldier too, right?"

"Soldiers aren't the only roles in a war. There are weapon-smiths and supply trains, cooks and support staff. I'm not saying don't fight against the vampires, and I'm not saying don't train for combat. But please, please stay out of danger, there's a reason we make strongholds like this, use them. Be safe."

She nods. "I can't make promises like that, but I'll be trying my best."

He smiles, and holds her face. "You remind me of your mother. May she rest in peace."

Lucy nods, tears springing to her eyes. "Will you pray with me? For both of them?"

"I... was excommunicated."

"But, God will understand. Won't he?"

Hesitantly, Priest extends his hands, and Lucy takes them. As they stand with eyes closed, Priest repeats the rites taught to him long ago by the Church. He resents that he can't give his own words to God, but he does his best to convey his feelings through the codified sentences, binding his pain and hope and grief together to tell them how sorry he was that he couldn't have done more, and hope that they are at peace. Through it all he's careful not to squeeze Lucy's hands the way she squeezes his, gripping hard against the anguish of lost loved ones.

When it's over, he opens his eyes. Lucy sniffs and lets go of his hands."Thank you. That meant a lot to me."

"And to me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry this was how you met me."

"Me too. I wish I could've known you. When you were my last hope, all I could remember was a sad man with a cross." Priest has no idea what to say to that.

Lucy straightens up and wipes her eyes quickly. "You're going to go now aren't you? Injured and everything."

"The Priestess you met is a good medic. She's patched me up before now."

Lucy says. "I like her. You two will keep each other alive, right?"

"Yes. We always have." He says simply. Heartfelt.

In the lull in conversation Hicks says.

"I remember the Vampire War ending when I was a kid. People were dancing in the streets. Having seen vampires first hand..." He shakes his head. "It'll take a miracle. Having seen you first hand, I think we're in with a chance."

Hicks holds Lucy. "I know it's forward, but I want you to be the one giving away the bride, at Lucy and my wedding."

Priest cocks his head on one side. "Have you said yes?" He asks Lucy.

Hicks leans his head forwards. "I said yes."

Priest barely bats an eye. "Then it's not too forward. Keep her safe. Make her happy. Don't let her down."

"Yes, sir." Hicks says with enthusiasm.

Priest isn't sure what to say to Lucy. "You chose a good fiancee."

"I did, didn't I?" She smiles briefly.

"Don't let him get a big head about it."

"I won't."

There isn't really any more he can say, but Priest doesn't know how to leave. So he imparts a last piece of advice. "Don't sleep on duty, don't rescue fools who don't hide before sundown and don't forget to lock doors behind you."

He turns to Hicks. "Protect Lucy above all else"

"Just who do you think I am to her?" Hicks says stiffly.

Priest smooths his eyebrow, a self recriminating gesture. "Not her father."

"I'll take good care of her sir. On my oath."

"I know you will. Don't be a hero. That goes for both of you. Your own safety is paramount." His eyes are hard on Hick and Lucy both. They look at one another and nod.

Priest says. "Vampires travel in packs. They can call to one another in ways that are hard to hear. Hide somewhere strong and they will flee from the Sun eventually. They aren't suicidal, just hungry. At least, until now that's how they've been."

Lucy says a quiet goodbye and squeezes his hand. When he steps out the steel door and looks back, her wet eyes stare up at him. She grips Hick's jacket, as though it's all that's keeping her upright, but she's standing tall.

"Goodbye Dad." Says Hicks, as the portal swings closed over the basement.

"You're cocky, kid." Priest says into the echoing darkness.

He covers the entrance with a scatter of burned furniture and rugs, making it invisible to all but close inspection.

He goes to his bike, swings a leg over, looks back at the burned building. "May God be with you." he says, and guns the engine, racing through the night towards City seven.

...

Next, the posse of Priests.