It was a week after Zoe got out of the hospital before they heard anything out of Benjamin. Simon was staying with them and keeping an eye on Zoe while her father was out and looking for his own work. They were sitting in the den her leaning on him while he looked through the pages of the newspaper agitatedly.

"I've not ever had to work before so what do I do?" He asked for the millionth time. He hissed and flipped the paper closed then froze as did Zoe. The front of the cover read

Family of Four Found Dead

The address of the family was just four streets over and the daughter was a few grades below Zoe.

"Simon."

"You're to be in the house by twilight from now until I find out who it is and destroy them. And under no circumstances are you to come out. I'll make sure your father doesn't allow it." He said, eying her.

"Simon, they could kill you." He chuckled darkly.

"Wouldn't be the first time, love."

"But I just got you back!"

"To protect you. And that's what I intend to do. For however long I can." Zoe started to argue but then the front door opened and shut.

"Zoe, Simon?"

"In here, dad." She called. "We'll talk about this later." She hissed at Simon before her father came through the door.

"Any luck with that, Simon?" He asked, eying the paper in his hands.

"No, sir. But I did see something that worried me."

"What?"

"I think we need to keep Zoe inside at night. Look at this." He showed the front page to her father whose brow furrowed at first then his eyebrows rose.

"That could have been Adam and his family. I wonder why he didn't mention anything?"

"It says here this paper was the first to announce it."

"Well, if anything, I completely agree with you, Simon. Zoe, you are to be home by nightfall from now on unless Simon or myself is with you. And you're not to keep any windows open." She and Simon knew that wouldn't be necessary to stop the killers, but saying so would raise awkward questions, so they didn't. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, daddy."

"Good. I'm going to bed. Simon, keep an eye on our girl."

"Yes, sir." He went on to his room. Zoe glared at Simon and stood, going up to her room, now his too. She stopped short to see that Benjamin was sitting in her window sill. He turned to look at her when she came in.

"You still have no problem with him killing then? Even when it's so close by?"

"Benjamin." But this wasn't her. It was Simon's growl from behind her. "What the hell you doing here?" He asked in the same low rumble.

"I'm here to stop the killing, cousin."

"It's not me. I have no thirst for blood anymore."

"Liar." Simon reached out to grab Benjamin's arm, but he shifted and reappeared on the opposite side of the room.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Benjamin." He took two cautious steps toward him and Benjamin braced himself, falling into a crouch preparing for Simon's bluff. But his eyes widened in shock when Simon closed his fingers around his arm.

"Y-... your skin isn't cold." He said slowly.

"No, Benjamin. I'm just as human as Zoe now."

"But... how?"

"I don't really know the reasoning behind it. Like Zoe told you, I died, but I kept watch over her as you held her hostage. And I believe I have you to thank for my second chance. I've been sent back to protect Zoe and that's the extent of my knowledge."

"I... don't believe it." Simon put both his hands on Benjamin's shoulders.

"Benjamin, Evelyn forgives you."

"N...no. I know you're lying now, Evelyn could never forgive me."

"She's watched after you, Benjamin. She looks at what happened to you as a punishment for what happened that day. But she believes it too harsh. She doesn't think that you walking around unable to die forever is fair. And in knowing you get worse than what you deserve, she's found it in her to forgive you." Benjamin's eyes had closed, but now they opened, furious.

"If you came back as a human to protect Zoe, how did you pull me off of her?"

"I still have most of my traits, such as my strength and speed but my abilities to shift to different shapes and heal instantly are gone. But I still heal faster than any normal human. Only things that can be used to help Zoe have remained." Benjamin's tensed muschles slackened under Simon's hands. "If it isn't you, then who is it?"

"That I don't know."

"Please, tell me the truth when I ask you this: is it Christopher?"

"I can't say it's impossible because I'm alive. But I can say that it's highly unlikely."

"Highly unlikely isn't good enough, Simon."

"I've already told you that I don't know. It hasn't been on the top of my list of priorities until it got so close to Zoe."

"What's over it?"

"Zoe, of course"

"Are you really that simple? You can only concentrate on one thing?"

"Simon, I think we can trust him. I'm not his hostage anymore." Zoe said, laying a hand on Simon's arm. He sighed.

"I have a child to worry about." He told Benjamin reluctantly.

"A child? With her?" He indicated Zoe. They both nodded. "But I've watched her. I've never seen one in the house..." Zoe laughed gently.

"That's because I haven't had it yet."

"How far are you?"

"Nearly 3 months. That's why I got sick in the morning."

"Why didn't I consider that?" Benjamin muttered half to himself. "It's so obvious." He paused. "Was it conceived while you were still a vampire?" He asked Simon, who nodded. "This should be an interesting wain." He said.

"It will be. We found out in the hospital after your attack on Zoe that it has a heartbeat."

"A heartbeat? So it may be somewhat like you are now." he concluded. They agreed. Benjamin glanced at the clock. " I need to go. I need to hunt a little tonight before sunrise." They looked too. it was nearly two in the morning. Benjamin was gone when they turned back to him. Simon closed the window and turned to Zoe.

"Plan to yell at me now or later?" He asked.

"Later sounds good. I'll spring it on you when you least expect it."

"Joy." He tapped her on the backside. "Bed. I'll be with you in a moment." He left the room and she undressed and pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and a T-shirt and pulled the sheets back on the bed, sliding in comfortably and moving over to the wall. She hadn't been laying there long before she heard the box springs give way as Simon's weight added to hers. She felt his warm breath on her neck as he molded to her back and pulled her close. "I love you, little bird." He whispered in her ear.

"I love you, too."