The trip back to England proved to be entirely uneventful though Nicolette's air of self-confidence seemed to be forced the closer they travelled to Cornwall. When they finally arrived at the institute, she actually stood outside for several minutes just staring up at the old building.

"Are you coming, Mama?" asked Nicolette.

"Yes, I'm coming, daughter," she said at last. "I think I'm going to need to keep a firm hold on your arm, dear Charles. It seems I'm feeling a bit weak in the knee."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, and offered his arm. They rang the bell and went inside, encountering several of the servants who wished them a welcome back and directed them to Lamar's office where he was supposed to be cornered with Charles uncle.

They knocked and the trembling of Nicolette's hand on his arm increased, but you could see very little of the nervousness in her face. When they received permission to enter, she said, "Elise dear, will you precede us?"

"Of course, Mama," she said and opened the door and entered. Lamar and his uncle both stood quickly with a smile when they saw Elise enter.

"Elise, it is good to see you back, we were…" her father began, but stopped short when Charles entered with Nicolette. The shocked look on both men's faces was quite comical. Nicolette had taken extra care with her appearance and she was looking quite devastating despite her age, which was surely an odd thought to have about his future mother-in-law. Both her sudden and her physical appearance seemed to have stunned the men into silence. Stiles recovered more quickly, but in observing his friend, kept silent.

Charles glanced at Nicolette and saw that she was smiling nervously. "Well, Lamar, I'm happy to see that you have taken care of yourself and look as well as ever. I suppose I shall use your stunned silence to say what I came to say." She took a deep breath, started to speak, took another deep breath and then, "I am sorry. I am sorry I blamed you for Silas' death and I am sorry I pulled away and refused to be comforted. I'm sorry I stayed away these many years nursing my grudge. Recent events have shown me that I have wasted a great deal of time doing so and I have no intention of wasting any more. So…as the Director of this Institute, I would ask your leave to stay."

Charles had glanced back and forth from Nicolette to Lamar several times and with each new apology Elise's father had looked more stunned. Uncle Stiles however, recovered quite quickly and walked over to give Nicolette a rib crushing hug that actually left a tear or two in her eyes when they separated.

"It is good to see you again, Nicolette," he said and stepped back to wait for his friend's reaction. Charles could not help but note that Lamar was drinking in every detail of his long-estranged wife. He started to speak several times and then sat down in his chair with a plunk. Collapsed would have been a better description. And still he said nothing.

Nicolette, having said her peace, was content to let her husband stare and said nothing.

Lamar finally let out a long breath and seemed to sink into his chair. "I never thought I would hear you apologize, Nicolette," he said at last. "I thought you were far too proud to say the words. And yet, here you are, and now I must apologize for not coming to see you sooner."

"You were right not to come," she said. "I needed new perspective in order to see that I was trying to punish you for Silas' own decisions. That war wrong. He made his choices and would not be counseled otherwise. I needed to crawl back and humble myself. I was in the wrong but did not see it."

Charles suddenly felt like he was intruding on a very personal moment.

Lamar stood up again and walked around the desk to stand in front of his wife. She made a small motion with her arms and he gathered her in a hug. Elise followed him a moment later and hugged both her parents for the first time in many years. By the end of the group hug everyone in the room was teary-eyed. Almost right on cue, Richard arrived, and having observed the general situation, decided to throw himself rather enthusiastically into the mix with a pleased cry of "Mama!" After a few minutes, others began to arrive, beginning with Meg, Dallia and Abram and then others of the staff that knew Nicolette well. The office was soon filled to capacity and Lamar finally called out over everyone to move to dinner where they could continue.

Dinner conversation was quite animated as Charles and Elise recounted the vampire uprising in Paris and its resolution. There were many questions until Nicolette mentioned that Charles and Elise were finally, officially engaged.

That caused an uproar for a while as everyone attempted to congratulate them at once and Aunt Meg started ticking off all the potential invitees.

"Well obviously we need to tell your sister first, since she will be coming from the furthest distance," began Meg.

"If you don't mind, I think I would like to surprise them both, if I can manage it," said Elise.

"We should be able to get you to Cape Town without too much trouble, I would think," said Lamar. "Are you sure you want to toss Charles into Allicante politics so quickly?"

"Visiting Christopher is not tossing him into politics, father," said Elise. Nicolette snickered and Meg covered a smile with her hand. "We shall be quite subtle," said Elise very firmly.

"Well, then you should probably talk with them before setting a date," said Lamar.

"Maybe I'll just go and kidnap them so we can do it next week," said Elise idly. That produced a number of coughs, choking sounds and exclamations of dismay.

"I am fairly sure it will take Meg longer than that to sew you a new dress," said Nicolette politely.

"Well, then dear Aunt Meg, will you please get started?" said Elise sweetly.

"Of course, dear," said Meg. The family adjourned to a large sitting room and talked much later than usual before Lamar finally said it was time for sleep and Meg sent the children off to bed.

When her parents walked off together arm-in-arm towards the director's bedrooms, Charles was sure Elise's eyebrows were going to climb off her forehead.

"You don't think they are going to … " she whispered fiercely, blushed and then continued. "After one day back."

"Uhh, well, I'm surprised they did not sneak off before this the way they have been eyeing each other all evening," said Charles. "They are married so you needn't act like it's some sort of scandalous behavior."

"You would not say that if you had watched the way they acted these last few years," said Elise. "They were positively heinous. Well, no, Mum was very bad; Dad just seemed more sad than anything but there were times she would pick at him until he exploded. It was not pleasant for a child to observe."

"I imagine not," said Charles, "but they both clearly seem to have moved on so why discourage them from making up for lost time?"

Elise sniffed and then scowled at her brother Richard who seemed determined to escort both of them to their rooms. Charles just laughed and chatted with the young man until Elise gave Charles a very long kiss right in front of her brother. He did not scowl or even change expression until Elise closed the door to her room and then he smiled.

"Sorry, Charles, Aunt Meg made me promise to keep an eye on you two," he said. "Plus, teasing big sis' is great sport."

"Come on, Richard," said Charles. "Come and lock me in my room. Your sister is safe for a little longer."

They walked in silence for a time before Richard spoke. "She is happy again, because of you. Even if I did not like you, I would thank you for that." Then the big grin was back. "But I do like you, so welcome to the family." He smacked Charles on the back and started off towards his own room.

Well, supposed Charles, that is one sibling down, and two parents. Now all he had to do was meet the older brother and younger sister. He certainly hoped he liked them as well as he did the rest of the family.


Knowing that you were going to travel to the bottom half of the world and transitioning to the cold weather there all at once were two entirely different things.

"That is so strange," he said to Elise after they had stepped through the portal. It was quite chilly and he was happy he had brought a coat. The Institute worker that met them, Alice, smiled conspiratorially at Elise and led them off down the corridor. Nina was three years younger than Elise and she had admitted they had not been particularly close when they were growing up.

"I always wanted to go off with Hyram and Silas," she had explained back in Cornwall before their departure. "Not all Shadowhunter girls are trained; in fact, most of them are not. My mother and I are exceptions. My father believed very strongly that every Nephilim needed to be ready for anything. In Nina case, she just did not have the temperament for it and she was more than happy to be married and start a family. After Silas and then Hyrum died she was there for me when I needed someone; neither of my parents was in any shape to comfort their child."

As they approached a sitting room, Alice put her finger to her lips and smiled again before knocking. "Mistress Nina, you have a visitor," she said and then, after an indistinct reply, she opened the door.

Elise led him in just as Nina was rising from her couch. She was holding a small child, a boy that appeared around one year old, and when she saw Elise, her eyes widened in surprise, then she smiled and then looked perplexed when she noticed Charles. Eventually she sniffed as she hugged her sister. A toddler wandered over from playing with a grey cat and hugged her mother's leg.

"Always have to make a grand entrance, dear sister," she said. There was affection and chiding in the tone. Nina was much shorter than Elise and less slim if not outright plump, but still very attractive and wore a dress that hid her figure flaws and accented her strengths.

When Elise introduced Charles, she shook his hand and looked him up and down. When Elise said they were engaged, Nina laughed.

"Then a handshake will certainly not do," she said and gave him a motherly hug of affection. "We have been wondering if any man in the whole world would ever catch Elise's eye again. I am happy to learn my children will soon have more cousins on the way. I may have to begat a few more so they can have playmates."

"Begat?" said Elise. "Who says that anymore?" She smiled when she said it and then asked to see the baby, a boy name Jeffery. The child looked at her for a few moment and then reluctantly allowed himself to be handed over.

"Alice, are you still listening at the door?" said Nina.

"Yes, ma'am," she said.

"You have had your fun, then," she said. "Please go and tell the other children that Aunt Elyse is here to visit. And please mention it to my husband."

"Yes, ma'am," she said.

Once they were seated, Nina began again. "Well, you do not sound English, or French, so where do you come from then, Charles."

"The United States, actually," he said and Nina looked surprised.

"That must be a story, so shall we wait for the others?" said Nina. "What other news have you for me, dear sister."

"Mother and Father have reconciled," said Elise.

"What?!" said Nina quickly. "You cannot be serious."

"Oh, I am quite serious," said Elise. "They have been carrying on like newlyweds for the past week since we returned from Paris. It is like they are different people." And then Elise started to cry and Nina joined her. Soon the toddler was crying with her mommy and had to be picked up and comforted and she finally calmed down about the time a tall, strong-looking man arrived with two boys in tow that looked so alike they might be twins.

Charles knew they were not, just close in age together and the man was Nina's husband, Willem, who was the assistant director of the institute.

"Well, my emotional wife and sister-in-law, what has you all tearful looking and happy at the same time?" he asked pleasantly.

"Elise says mum and dad finally made up and got back together," said Nina.

"Well, that is good news for the family then," he said and offered his hand to Charles. "I'm Willem, by the way, and you must be Charles."

Elise started and Charles smiled as he took the taller man's hand. "I am Charles. Elise and I have come to tell you we are engaged to be married."

"Ahh, well, welcome to the family then," said Willem and he too, pulled Charles into a warm hug. "If you survived telling that news to Nicolette then you must be very brave indeed."

Elise sniffed. "He made it look easy," she said. "Your mistake was going in like a timid mouse to be eaten by the cat."

Nothing seemed to erase the man's smile. "Well, we were young, so I doubt it was quite the same situation. Welcome to the institute Charles. These are my sons Jared and Kairen. You have met little Megita, our newest member of the family to start walking, and the baby Melvin. Florina is most likely climbing a tree somewhere that makes her impossible to spot, so you will just have to wait to make her acquaintance."

Charles shook hands with the two, serious-looking boys and then Willem invited them all to sit down while they told their stories. Once the boys found out Charles was from America, the others could not get in any questions for some time. Finally, Nina intervened.

"Charles, tell us then, what brought you from America to England," she said. The boys quieted down.

"Well, I was working on the great railroad that my country was building to join the east and west oceans and I met a man who finally explained why I could see demons," said Charles. "He sent me on a journey that led me to Cornwall eventually, and I met Elise there quite by accident."

"We fought off a ravenor demon together, actually," said Elise.

"Good show," complimented Willem.

"Yes, he was quite gallant," said Elise. "I knew I was smitten when he took a flying demon out of the air with a tomahawk. That was impressive."

"Do Indians really take scalps with tomahawks?" asked Jared in excitement.

"Jared! What kind of question is that?" said Nina. "Please forgive my very rude offspring who apparently seemed to have forgotten what sorts of questions are acceptable in polite company." Jared looked subdued, but he kept looking at Charles to see if he might answer. Charles winked and looked away quickly; he was fairly sure Nina did not notice.

"Boys, it is time for you to get back to your studies anyway," said Willem. They both complained but left anyway after politely acknowledging Charles and giving their aunt a hug.

"They seem so big," said Elise.

"When you only see them once a year, that happens," said Nina with a scowl.

Charles thought that Elise might get upset, but instead she put a hand on her sister's arm and apologized. That seemed to surprise Nina more than anything else that had gone on, but she said nothing and just smiled.

"Charles, can you and Elise tell us about the Paris uprisings?" asked Willem. "We have read the reports, but you were there."

That narration took some time and caused a great deal of speculation on Willem's part. "Well, I need to get back to training as well, so I will let you be until dinner time. "It is good to see you again, Elise and a pleasure to meet you, Charles. Again, welcome."

After he left, Nina looked after him for a time and Elise smiled while she watched her sister. "He is such a good boy, is he not, sister?" Nina looked chagrined and blushed before turning back to her sister. "Well, at least now I will not be the only one who stares off wistfully after her husband leaves."

"True enough," said Elise, who winked at Charles.

"I am happy for you, Elise," said Nina. "As the years passed, I so wanted to sit down with you and hold our babies together and be happy."

"Soon enough, sister, soon enough," said Elise and gave her tiny nephew a squeeze.


They stayed for a week and while Elise spent a great deal of time with her sister, Charles sat in on the training of the institute children that included his soon to be nephews. The director was a much older gentleman named Harrison who had no surviving family and clearly thought of Willem and Nina as his own. His knowledge of weapons training was extensive and once he learned that Charles was a veteran of the American Civil War, the old man spent hours listening to Charles' account of the fighting and battles he had seen. Harrison asked very pointed questions and discussed the use of firearms and sabers and tactics extensively as he attempted to find anything that might help the Shadowhunter cause.

Willem welcomed a competent challenge at weapons training and pressed Charles to his limit with all sorts of different weapons. The boys were fascinated by Charles' tomahawks and he eventually gave one to each of them, telling them that he could have others made. Those gifts cemented their undying love for "Uncle Charles" and brought scowls to their mother's face when they tried to wear them to the dinner table.

Charles accompanied Willem on several uneventful patrols around the city and surprisingly, Elise declined to go with them. Cape Town was a very different kind of place and Charles did not wander about without Willem to escort him.

Eventually, they arranged a portal to Allicante and made their farewells having chosen several dates in the next month for the wedding. Of course, Nina was scandalized that they were in such a hurry, but Elise stared her down and said that she would have to hurry up if she wanted to wear a new dress.

"I'll be ready, Elise, but you are in too much of a rush; you do not get to do this more than once … in a marriage, that is," she finished in a rush and then hugged her sister. The boys gave them all hugs and Elise handed Melvin back to her sister reluctantly.

"We are sending you to a place on the outskirts of Allicante," said Willem. "It is actually a friend of Harrison's. He will not say a thing, and said he has a carriage you can take to Hilburg." It turned out that Christopher lived a few miles outside of the actually city on a small farm.

"Thank you, Willem," said Elise. "Be well until we meet again. "

Once again, Charles found himself stepping through into another place and wondered if he would ever get used to it. An older gentleman was there to meet them with a warm smile and a bit of conversation, so Charles and Elise told him about the Paris uprising while he drove them out to a farm in a small horse cart. He let them off to walk the last bit on foot and they left their luggage on the drive to walk up to the house. An older child was the first to recognize Elise from where she was sitting on the front porch. She looked to be about seven or eight years old and she leaped off the porch with a cry of "Auntie E!" and sprinted towards them not at all hindered by the dress she was wearing.

Elise caught her leaping form and twirled her around before drawing her in for a hug.

"Mommy did not tell me you were coming," said the girl.

"Well, you know how I like surprises," said Elise.

"And what do you have for me?" said the girl.

"Oh, just a little something from my new friend here," said Elise and she reached in and pulled a tomahawk out of her purse that was quite similar to the ones he had gifted to his other soon-to-be nephews.

"What is it?" asked the girl curiously.

"It is a real American tomahawk," said Elise and Charles contained his snort with effort.

"What can you do with it?" asked the girl.

"Well, Jennie, you can swing it like a small axe or throw it, if need be," said Elise. "Jennie, this is my friend Charles. Let him show you." Elise handed the weapon to Charles and he smiled and transferred it to his left hand so he could shake hands with the now-serious little girl.

"I am happy to meet you Jennie," he said. "I learned how to use this from an old Indian. Watch." He turned and pointed to a fence post about fifty feet away. He grimaced. He was going to look silly if he missed. Charles reared back and heaved and it flew true and lodged in the post. He blew out a relieved sign as Jennie squealed with delight and ran to pull it out of the fence. She held it with a serious expression and not the way a normal child would do so. She ran back about half the distance, turned and let fly at the post. The rotation was off, but she hit it, which was impressive enough. She retrieved it again and returned to them.

"I am going to need some practice," she said.

"You just have to get a feel for the rotation of the head," said Charles and she nodded.

"Who is home right now?" asked Elise.

"Just mum, well, and little Jack-Jack," she said. "They are in the house."

When they turned to keep walking there was a woman standing on the porch with a baby boy on her hip. She smiled and shook her head at them as her prettily dressed little girl ran up to show her mommy the tomahawk.

"Do you always bring your niece weapons?" he mumbled.

"Every time," she whispered back.

The grim expression on the woman softened as they came closer and she gave Charles a speculative look. "Welcome Elise, I am happy to see that you have added throwing weapons to my dear daughter's arsenal."

"Keep 'em at a distance, I say," countered Elise and the woman came down the steps to hug her.

"Look at those chubby legs, Jack-Jack," said Elise. "Who has been eating well lately?"

"That is the clear truth," said the woman.

"Wendie, this is Charles … my … fiancé," she said.

Wendie gave Charles an awkward hug upon that announcement and looked genuinely happy for them. "Christopher is not going to be happy he is the last one to find out."

"He should not work so late, then," said Elise.

"I cannot disagree with you there," said Wendie. "The Clave has been very demanding lately. He does not really even pretend at farming anymore. I just keep a small garden and take care of the horses."

She invited them inside, insisted on feeding them and then they sat down to tell stories for several hours until Christopher finally arrived home.

"Well if it is not lil' sis' and her troublemaking new beau," he said upon noting their presence in his front room. Elise's eyebrows climbed at his presumed knowledge. He shook hands with Charles and hugged his sister warmly.

"They came to tell us they were engaged," said Wendie casually.

"Of course they did," said Christopher and this time he hugged both of them and in a few moments they were all crying. It took the syblings a considerable amount of time to get their emotions under control before they could speak again.

"Look what Auntie E brought me," said Jennie in excitement once she thought she could barge in. She brandished the tomahawk with great enthusiasm. Christopher took it from his daughter and swung it about for the moment.

"It feels like it has good balance," he said.

"Yes, Charles … well, Uncle Charles … he hit a fencepost from fifty feet!" she exclaim.

"So far as that, really?" said Christopher. "He must be very good." Looking around he continued. "Since you all seem to be sitting here talking, I am going to assume there is no dinner ready for me … "

His wife gave him a tight smile and said, "We had bread and cheese and apples for an afternoon snack. Would you like some?"

"That would be lovely," he replied and they sat down in the kitchen to eat and talk.

"So we are troublemakers now, are we, brother?" asked Elise.

"Yes," he said. With a smile he continued. "The years go by and nothing seems to change."

"I am surprised anyone really took notice," said Elise.

"Well you should not be," said Christopher between bites of apple. "Miles was well liked and well regarded by many. Having his son reappear and take the oaths so soon has a lot of people in an uproar. There has been talk of censure for Inquisitor Gregory."

"What?" said Elise in surprise.

"Oh, it is just talk," said Christopher. "He was well within his authority, but the Clave did not send him there with the purpose of enlisting Charles here. He was there for some fact-finding only. When he announced he had administered the oaths there was pandemonium. It was quite entertaining actually. I rather thought you had stirred the pot quite nicely there, lil' sis'."

"I was not trying to do any such thing," she said. "I was just visiting mother."

"Yeah, and returning a Shadowhunter's son to the fold 20-odd years later," said Christopher. Even I was a little shocked. I've been waiting for a visit for some time now. I guess I should not be surprised that you were not dying to come to Allicante. You never particularly care for the politics."

"And has anything changed?" she asked.

"Not at all," he admitted.

She shrugged as if to say, 'What did you expect?'

"Well, enough of that," said Christopher. "I have heard the wildest rumors about you two, and Charles here is the center of most of them. What have you to say for yourselves?"

"Well, first off, I should tell you that father and mother have reconciled," she said.

Christopher froze and Wendie stopped what she was doing at the counter and turned around to face them.

"Really?" said Christopher.

"Really," said Elise.

Christopher spent some time digesting that before he finally commented. "I know that is probably the middle of the story, but tell me how that happened."

"We went to visit mum and we told her we were getting married and she decided to come back with us," said Elise. "She actually apologized at length to father; it was … " Apparently Elise had no words for it.

"Unprecedented?" said Christopher in a few moments.

"Something like that," said Elise. "You should see them now. They are worse than newlyweds. They just spontaneously smile at each other and get this look in their eyes … "

"Like they are falling in love all over again?" said Wendie.

"Exactly," said Charles.

"Oh they still yell at each other," said Elise, " but there is no heat in it. And they retire to their chambers scandalously early."

Christopher snorted loudly and finally resumed eating.

"Well Charles, your return seems to have precipitated a reunion that was long overdue," said Christopher. "For that, all of us must thank you."

Charles grunted. "Our arrival was just the tipping point. Your mother just needed a little nudge."

"Which you provided," said Wendie.

"Perhaps so," said Charles.

Christopher started asking about Charles then and they discussed his journey to England and all the subsequent events. Elise's brother was quite well informed and he seemed to approve of everything they had done.

"I knew it would take a warrior out of the legends to keep my sister out of trouble and you seem to be the closest thing we might have found," said Christopher.

Elise gave him a scathing look. "I will have you know, I have no intent of getting into any trouble. I have been informed by multiple sources that my job now is to produce grandchildren at my earliest possible convenience."

Christopher laughed loudly. "That had to be mum and Nina, I am guessing."

"Correct in one," said Elise.

"Well she should come and visit the grandchildren she has more often if that is how she feels," said Wendie.

"True enough," said Christopher, "but I do not think she ever forgave me for taking father's side after Silas died."

"I suspect that will change, dear brother," said Elise. "Do not be surprised if she does not apologize to you next week at the wedding."

That statement brought exclamations of surprise and a squeal from Jennie who had been listening at the door.

"You cannot be serious," said Wendie, while her daughter badgered her about a new dress.

"Well, I guess I better ask for a few days off, then," said Christopher to no one in particular.