Disclaimer: Only original characters and plot belong to me.

"You know, I have to compliment you," Margot said to Amy as they walked Vivi through the park in her stroller a few months after Henry and Margaret's wedding. "I was really worried for you when you made that incredibly stupid decision to get back together with Klaus, cause hey, that jackass murdered you, for fuck's sake. But you seem to have come to your senses, so no harm done. And you're a lot more cheerful, too."

"Yeah, I really can't explain it," Amy shrugged. "I just feel good every morning. And what is wrong with you, Margot? You know you shouldn't swear in front of the baby!"

"Why not?" Margot asked, ruffling her niece's hair. "She doesn't understand what I'm saying. Do you, Vivi?" The redheaded baby stared, clueless, up at her aunt. "See?" Margot pointed. "I rest my case."

Just then, they started violently and Vivi giggled and reached when Savannah appeared in front of them. "Do I need to fix things yet?" She asked. "Has Vivi turned into anything?"

"No, we're fine at the moment," Amy replied. "But it probably wouldn't hurt if you stuck around a bit. Come walk with us. It's a beautiful day."

Savannah grumbled. "Ever since Vivi started showing her powers, I've turned into the family servant and it sucks!"

"Well, I'm sorry about that," Amy replied. "But as you know, neither your aunt or I have powers. If you weren't here and Vivi changed, we wouldn't be able to do anything about it!"

"So you push a bear cub in a stroller for a bit," Savannah shrugged. "Yes, it will look strange, but you can just tell people you're into exotic pets. They're not gonna take up pitchforks and hunt you down."

"I know it's not fun for you to be in this situation, and that there are other ways you'd prefer to spend your time," Amy told her. "But I need your help. It's only until her first birthday. Things will even out by then."

Savannah sighed. "Fine. But it's not like I don't have a wedding to plan or anything like that. Oh, wait! I do! Can I be excused?"

"Fine," Amy replied. "Go. But first, give your sister a hug. She looks so happy to see you."

With a roll of her eyes, Savannah picked Vivi up out of her stroller, gave her a brief hug, and then disappeared.

"Okay, check her now," Amy said. "Did her pin get jostled? The one with the spell on it so she can stay out here?"

"Well, since she hasn't burst into flame, I'd say everything is all right," Margot replied dryly. "You're fretting again and turning into the anal retentive sister I know so well."

"You can't blame me!" Amy said. "I'm raising Vivi practically all alone! There's so much pressure! I wish I could have a break, but we know that won't happen. I have to be on guard every minute in case Klaus shows up!"

"I still think you need to relax," Margot replied. "How about after we have this nice walk (which was supposed to be calming, by the way), I'll take Vivi home with me and you can have your apartment to yourself?"

"I don't know..." Amy hesitated.

"You know what? You're gonna do it," Margot told her. "No arguments."

They did a few laps around the park, then Margot took charge of the stroller. "Go home now!" She ordered Amy. "Relax, take a bath, read a book...something! You need it or else you're gonna die!"

"Fine," Amy gave in. "You take care of Vivi, though! Don't let her out of your sight for a minute!"

"Just go!" Margot called back. "Everything will be fine."

When Amy reached the apartment door, she pulled out her key to unlock it, but it opened seemingly on its own and she was pulled inside, coming face to face with Klaus. She was about to cry out when Klaus put a hand over her mouth. "Don't scream," he whispered. "I compelled the landlord to let me in here."

"What-what do you want?" Amy got out.

"Savannah told me you've been tense and I came to help," Klaus replied and locked eyes with her. "Let me help you. Now that I'm here, everything will be all right. All you need to do is trust me. I never planned to do this during the day. Just at night, like I have been, but I was concerned."

"All right!" Amy perked up, the compulsion having done its work. "I was gonna take a bath. Wanna join me? I bet you've been very lonely lately."

"Well, since you asked," Klaus replied and kissed her hand. "Of course I won't say 'No'."

"Good," Amy replied and led him to the bath where, after it was filled with water, he climbed in and watched her undress without blinking. When she got in the bath beside him, he put his arms around her and noticed the tension in her shoulders. "Is the rest of you this tense?" He asked. "I'll be very thorough if I need to be."

"Please do," Amy replied. "It's been so hard raising Vivi and being scared of you. But I guess I don't need to be, right? I'm worrying for nothing."

"Perhaps not," Klaus replied as he scrubbed her. "Perhaps you're being smart, and I'm being selfish." He sighed. "If only you could protect me from myself." He leaned forward and kissed her deeply as she threw her arms around his neck.

"You're such a good kisser," she said. "No one is as good as you. You've ruined me for other men."

Klaus nodded. "I figured as much," he said. "And that's why I'm doing this: better have us be together through deception than be honest, alone, and miserable, right?"

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "Sounds okay to me!" She snuggled against him the best she could and took a deep breath.

"I saw you came in alone," Klaus commented, his breath ruffling her hair. "Where's Vivi?"

"Margot took her and commanded that I relax," Amy replied. "And I think I am. And what's with Savannah? She's in a worse mood then usual. It can't just be because she's upset about having to help with Vivi's changes cause she's the only one with powers."

Klaus chuckled. "Putnam is making her be celibate until their wedding, and celibacy is not sitting well with her," he replied. "Hasn't she told you?"

"Not that I remember," Amy replied. "She never seems to tell me anything. I don't think she likes me very much."

"Don't let it worry you," Klaus replied. "I'm sure she'll get over it eventually." He looked at her hand. "Your fingers are all wrinkly. Maybe we should get out."

"And do what?" Amy asked. "I'm interested to know."

Klaus grinned. "I have a few ideas," he said.

"But we really only need one," Amy pointed out. She got out of the bath and dried herself off with a towel before letting it drop at her feet. "Don't keep me waiting," she told Klaus with a wink before she sauntered out of the bathroom and climbed into bed, leaving Klaus to follow her and take her in his arms. As usual, she was making it really hard for him to want to remove the compulsion. If it were up to him, she'd be like this forever, cause this way, even if it was wrong, at least they were getting along, even if it was just for a little bit at a time.

He opted to not go visit Amy again that night, but that didn't mean the house was free of problems. Being celibate for so long was indeed making Savannah out of sorts, and causing her evenings to be very unpleasant. This night, she sat up in bed and decided to put a stop to it. "I know he'll scold me for it," she whispered to herself. "But really, he had to expect that I'd do something like this at some point, so it's not like it will shock him." She zapped herself to Jonathan's and sneaked into his bedroom where her fiance, usually a heavy sleeper, was lying still in bed and breathing evenly, his longish dark hair splayed all over the pillow. The blinds on his window were halfway open so that light from a streetlamp shone on his face. Savannah came to stare at him for a long moment, then heard him mutter her name. Encouraged by this, she had a naughty idea. If he was presumably dreaming about her, why not make it more enjoyable? She took off her clothes and climbed into bed next to him, reaching under the covers (and his boxers) to stroke him gently. Though it didn't wake him immediately, he began moaning and muttering, "Yes, yes. That's the spot," before finally opening his eyes, letting out a yell, and turning the lights on with a flick of his wrist.

"Damn it, Savannah!" He yelled as he tried to cover himself up. "What in the world do you think you're doing?"

"Giving you good dreams," Savannah replied. "You weren't complaining a few minutes ago!"

"You can't do that, you know," Jonathan told her. "You can't just stroll in here and do things like that when I'm asleep because you're horny and you can't deal with it!"

"Now that's not entirely fair!" Savannah said. "I was pleasing you. I didn't come here to try and make you please me!"

"Somehow I doubt that," Jonathan snapped. "Because the concept of delayed gratification has always eluded you, hasn't it?"

"Okay, fine," Savannah replied. "I'm sorry. But you were expecting me to do something like this, weren't you?"

"Yes," Jonathan nodded. "But I hoped you wouldn't. I'm not doing this to try and make you miserable, even though it might seem like it."

"And I'm not trying to be difficult, either," Savannah replied. "I just miss you is all."

She looked so innocent and contrite that Jonathan let out a sigh and took her in his arms.

"Well, I miss you too," he said, kissing her hair. "It won't be too long to wait, I promise."

"How many months do we have left again?" Savannah asked.

"Don't think about that," Jonathan replied. "I'll let you stay here with me tonight, but tomorrow, you're going back home. Is that fair?"

"Yes," Savannah replied. "I suppose it's fair."

"Well, then good night," Jonathan told her and turned off the light."

"Good night," Savannah replied, pulling the covers over herself and chuckling. "And sweet dreams."

Mikael was up early making breakfast when the toaster malfunctioned and burned his toast. Then the lights began flicking on and off, and the glasses waiting to be washed by the housekeeper just exploded, leaving shards of glass all over the floor. Swearing at his toast and throwing it in the sink, Mikael ran in the direction of the bedroom and met Gwen, who was screaming. "What the hell is going on, Gwendolyn?" He yelled. "You're making a big mess of things!"

"Oh, fuck you!" Gwen yelled. "Your son is yelling at me to bring him into this world, and I'll be damned if I take it from you too. Now let's go!"

Mikael heard this and swore under his breath. "And so it begins," he said to himself.

They made their way to the hospital, but were paused halfway by a very long train going down a railroad track. Gwen watched it go for several minutes before muttering to herself, "Fuck this," The train then exploded in several pieces as Mikael watched, stunned. "There we go," Gwen said. "Now drive, damn it, or else I will not hesitate to make you look like the people in those train cars. Little chunks of you all over the place. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Gwendolyn," Mikael sighed and drove over the tracks, leaving the injured and dead from the train behind them. When they finally reached the hospital, Gwen bullied her way into a room despite there being several people ahead of her who were in just as much need.

"Calm down, Gwendolyn," Mikael was brave enough to tell her. "People will think you don't have any manners."

"I don't care!" Gwen cried, grabbing his hand and squeezing it so hard that he was sure his fingers were broken. "Contraction!" Gwen screamed. "Contraction! Don't just stand there like an idiot! Get a doctor in here!"

"Well, if you'll just let go of my hand, I'll do that," Mikael replied.

She grudgingly let go and Mikael left the room to drag in a nurse or a doctor to look her over.

When they arrived, Gwen punched the doctor in the face. "Give me drugs!" She cried. "Whatever you've got, I want it!"

"Fine," the doctor replied, his hand on his eye. "Just try and relax, all right?"

"Tell me something," Gwen said to him. "Do you think it would be easy for you to relax if you felt that entire middle was being twisted like a pretzel and then set a fire?"

"No," he got out. "Not really."

"Well, then don't tell me to relax, you idiot!" Gwen shouted. "Get my medicine!" She looked for something to throw at him, but saw nothing. Normally, Mikael would have enjoyed Gwen's contempt for the little people, but this time, he couldn't help but feel a tad sorry for the doctors who were having to deal with her in this state.

"Next time they come back, compel them to fix me fast!" Gwen ordered him.

"Fine," Mikael replied. "I will."

Finally, they got her all drugged and told her that the only thing left to do was wait.

"He's doing this on purpose just to annoy me," Gwen said to Mikael irritably. "I have no idea how our son knows I hate tardiness, but he's really taking his sweet time, isn't he?"

"Let me think of a way to distract you," Mikael replied and gave Rebecca a call. She arrived at the hospital and called Amy, who called Selina, who called Elijah, and soon, the room was packed with people chattering loudly and waiting.

Finally, the doctor announced that it was time for Gwen to push. "I'm too old for this," she said as she pushed and pushed. Finally, King made his entrance, and Gwen peered down at him. "Know this," she said. "If I hadn't just spent so much energy giving you life, I would be so mad at you right now. You took way too long to get here!"

"But he's cute, though," Selina replied, coming over to the bedside "You know, for someone who was just born. I'll enjoy taking care of him." She called over to Elijah, "hey, wanna come see your brother?"

Elijah came to stand next to her and have a look. "I have another brother," he said. "Wonderful. Hello, King." He scoffed at the ridiculous name, but said nothing else.

"Yes it is, isn't it?" Mikael replied, staring down at the boy. "Another son to carry on my legacy. This is a wonderful day." He kissed Gwen's forehead. "Thank you, Gwendolyn," he told her.

"You're welcome," Gwen replied as Rebecca wiped her forehead and fluffed her pillows. "But don't expect me to do this again anytime soon."