Sleeping on the couch sobered Eli up quickly. He didn't actually sleep a wink. Instead he laid there trying to find something on one of the bazillion cable channels. There was nothing on. He went to the kitchen and ate half of the food in the fridge but that just came up as soon as it went down. Now he remembered why he didn't get shit faced drunk anymore. His head started to spin and he felt really crappy so he just sat in the living room drinking water until he felt better.

He knew he had to fix things between him and Todd. He needed to let Todd know that it wasn't anything he'd done to make Eli behave the way he'd been behaving. He just hadn't been himself after the fight. As bad as he hated to admit it, being cursed out and kicked in the ribs by Clare was probably what he needed to get himself back together.

He was about to go into Todd's room to wake him and take him to breakfast when there was a knock at the door. He opened it to see Bullfrog standing there.

"Hey dad."

"Hey son. You look like shit!"

"I feel like it too." He said with a chuckle.

Bullfrog came in and they sat on the couch. His father was never a man to hold back what he wanted to say so he let him have it.

"Listen man you gotta get your shit together. Clare's worried about you; Todd is worried about you… I know your upset but you can't shut down."

"I know dad. I guess I was just trying to forget. I thought maybe if I drank enough whiskey Jack Daniels himself would come and wipe my memory clean."

"Well that won't happen. Look you have to find reasons to live because you're going to be doing it forever…remember?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that."

"That is some freaky shit. While we're on the subject I should probably tell you that I'll be joining your pack soon… if permitted."

"What are you talking about dad?"

"I have lung cancer. Doctors say there's nothing they can do so your mother is going to bite me. I suspect she's wanted to for years but um…"

"Dad you've got cancer? When did you find out? How'd it happen?"

"Well funny thing. Those warnings on cigarettes are true and I'd always thought they were a crock of bull. I was having chest pains and I got to the hospital. They scanned me and found it. That's when Cece decided to change me."

"When?"

"Next full moon. She's going to bite me that morning and she says by the time to moon rises I should be ready to go."

"Well dad…welcome to the pack."

"Now don't be expecting nothing fancy. I'll be an old wolf…shit I might even have gray fur. Isn't this funny? For once you little brat, you are in charge of me."

Eli and Bullfrog hugged. He was disturbed to hear that his dad had cancer but happy to know that his mother was saving him. After Bullfrog left Eli went into Todd's room where the five year old was knocked out.

He kissed his chubby cheek and Todd woke up.

"Daddy?" He asked groggily.

"Yeah it's me. Why don't you get dressed and we'll hang out. Just us two."

"Okay!" Todd yelled

"But you have to be quiet."

"Okay!" Todd whispered excitedly

Eli got dressed and Todd was waiting on him in the living room. He grabbed Todd's hand and they went down to the garage where Morty was. He rarely drove because transporting was so much more convenient but he wanted to drive today.

They got in and went to a diner. Eli didn't know how to start to conversation.

"So what's this madness about you not feeling wanted?" Asked Eli.

"Well… ever since the fight you act like you don't like to be around me anymore." Said Todd as he looked down at the salt and pepper dispensers he was playing with.

"Todd I love being around you. Don't tell Gray this but you're more fun that he is. I've just been a little sad and mad but not at you…at life."

"How can you be mad at life? It's not a person." Said Todd

"You can be mad at lots of things Todd. Not just people. I was mad at life for being so hard. For being so short for some people and so complicated."

"Oh… So it's not because I'm different?"

"No, of course not."

"Then why don't you read to me anymore?"

"Well…it was because I thought the poison would make me happy so I drank it instead of reading but I promise, I will start reading to you again every night until you get too cool for me to tuck you in."

"Me? Never dad. I'm not like Gray. He thinks he's cool but he's not and he has a really big head."

"Can I tell him you said that?" Asked Eli.

"No! Don't he'll kill me!"

After the talk Eli took Todd to feed ducks at the park. The animals seemed to flock to the little boy. The ducks didn't try to bite him when he petted them. Eli had almost forgotten how Todd saved them all and he still hadn't found out why.

"Hey Todd, how'd you feel about visiting Zane today?"

"Okay! He's nice and he teaches me stuff!"

"Awesome."

They drove to Zane's and he was meditating. They were as quiet as could be but he'd already known it was them even without looking.

"Eli and Todd, what's up?" Asked Zane calmly

"Well... surely you remember what Todd did in battle. We still want to know why he did that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Asked Zane.

"No… that's why I'm asking you."

"Well he's heavily guarded by an angel."

"Well, Why's that?"

"Well because the protection was so strong it must be from someone related to him. Usually this happens when the one being protected is intended to be the next in line in the family."

"So there's one in every family?"

"No Eli… only in special families. It's really hard to detect but if I had to guess I'd say it was coming from Clare's side of the family."

"Interesting. Thanks Zane. We'll be back…probably."

"I know you will. Goodbye Eli and young Todd."

"Bye Zane!" Said Todd happily

Well Eli hadn't expected this. He had a house full of wolves, a half vampire, a little human boy and now an angel. He went home and Clare was helping Gray feed the babies.

"Hey you two." Said Clare.

"Hi Mama!"

"You aren't going to kick me in the ribs again are you?" Asked Eli

"No… not unless you ask for it."

"Well good. I need to talk to you. Alone." Said Eli.

"Okay, Todd, think you could handle feeding your niece while I talk to your dad?"

"Piece of cake." Said Todd as he stood up on a stool to be able to feed Sarah who was in the highchair.

Clare wasn't expecting Eli's news. In fact she was shocked by what she found out. Eli had just told her that her baby was actually an angel and that it was because of her family's blood. She didn't know what to say she just knew she had to call her mother.

"Hey baby!" Said Helen cheerfully.

"Mom, I need to talk to you."

"It's about Todd? Isn't it?" She said.

"How'd you know?"

"A mother knows these things Clare. I knew when you were turned werewolf and when you were pregnant."

"So you've known all along?"

"Us supes gossip you know. What do you want to know?"

"Am I one too? An angel?"

"No."

"Well why'd you chose Todd to be one and not Gray or Scarlett?'

"I didn't choose them. It's like… involuntary. Whoever is supposed to be next in line just automatically gets the protection of the acting angel. What made you know this?"

"Well you should know there was a war."

"I'd heard something."

"He incinerated our opponents. He transports but he hasn't changed yet and those hybris who abducted him couldn't hurt him."

"Oh yes…the transporting is a wolf thing completely but the incineration and inability to be harmed is all part of the shield."

"So what exactly do you do?" Asked Clare

"I heal, I help. There was always a reason I was so happy at church. There I had to most opportunity to help. I'm happy helping."

"Well… Todd is a helper too though I wouldn't say he's always happy about it. Should I tell him all of this?"

"Yes… but I want to be there when you do. How about I visit next week?"

"That's perfect mom. I'll see you then."

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too."

Clare felt like she'd stepped into he twilight zone. She was surrounded by supernatural beings and she'd even been raised by one. Here she was thinking that she was normal. She was actually beginning to wonder if normal was a real thing.

Gray remembered he had plans for noon so he packed up his babies and he put them in the stroller. They went to the Dot and sat at a table. He ordered a cappuccino and played with the two babbling kiddies until the girl who had his license arrived. A girl with long flowing sandy brown hair walked in. She had hazel eyes and though she was a little heavy set her curves fell in the right places. Gray thought she was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on.

"Gray Goldsworthy?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Hi, I'm Maria. I figured you'd need this." She said, handing over his license.

"Thanks."

"Well nice meeting you. I'll be going now."

"What's the rush? Let me buy you something. It's the least I can do for the woman who kept me out of that long ass DMV line."

"Sure. I'd like a caramel macchiato if you don't mind." She said smiling "Are those your babies?"

"Yeah. This is my son Sterling and my daughter Sarah."

"They are so adorable. Are they twins?"

"No just…different mothers. They are actually only three weeks apart… Sterling, the boy, is the oldest but his sister Sarah calls all the shots."

"Oh. Well that's the way it usually is."

"I know it must sound horrible. A guy being seventeen with two kids."

"At least you're taking care of them. I've known men who just have babies and leave like its nothing. I mean, who made a law to say that you couldn't make mistakes time and time again like everybody else right?"

"I've never looked at it that way. In any case I couldn't imagine my life without them but…enough about me! You know my age…how old are you?"

"I'm seventeen."

"Me too, but you already know that."

"Going to university in the fall."

"Me too. Where'd you graduated from?"

"Degrassi. You?"

"Homeschool. Yeah… I didn't actually have a graduation but it's cool."

"So are you going to stay in the family houses on campus?"

"They have those?"

"Yes and they have a daycare."

"I didn't know that. Maybe when they are older. Right now I actually still need help from my parents."

"It's understandable. Two kids! My dads had me and decided I was enough."

"Dads?"

"Yeah. I have two dads. They used a surrogate so my full name is actually Maria Del Rossi- Michaelchuck."

"I can't imagine how your driver's license looks."

They both laughed and Gray realized he was actually having a conversation. He didn't just care about sex. They were talking and he was enjoying himself. Even the babies were behaving. They were babbling to each other in the stroller.

Before he knew it they'd been at the Dot for hours. She'd helped him feed the babies and she even handed him supplies while he changed their diapers. They seemed to like her but he didn't rush into anything. For now he just liked talking to her.

"Oh it's dark already." She said. "My dads are going to question me like crazy! It was nice meeting you Gray. Maybe I'll see you in the fall?"

"Or before that… Um, I have your number and you have mine."

"Yeah. So…talk to you soon?" She asked.

"Count on it."

Scarlett felt at the top of her game. It's like becoming a vampire had made her finally get her curves. She was still a little jealous of her mother's body but she guess she'd have to learn to love her own. She slipped on the form fitting corseted dress and she transported to Lucas. They were supposed to be going out again tonight. She'd never known she could have so much fun at a vampire club but she did.

"Hey baby! Ready to go?"

"I'm not going anywhere with you looking like that. Go change." He said flatly.

"But I've been saving this dress. Why are you acting so weird?"

"Because I don't like people groveling over you Scarlett! I don't like it one bit."

"You're jealous. Is that it?"

"How can I not be with the way you were parading your ass around last night like a common fucking whore!"

Before Scarlett could gain control of herself she'd walked over to Lucas and punched him in the face. She didn't mean to do it but she wasn't exactly mad at herself because she had. He held his jaw and smiled at her evilly. She stood her ground, ready to fight him. He backed her up against the wall and grabbed her by the jaws.

"Let me go Lucas!"

"No! You need to see how much I love you! So much in fact that I choose not to control you when I could dictate every single one of your actions. I'd never hurt you Scarlett so please don't force me to."

"Get your damn hands off me!" She said, pushing him away

She transported back home. She'd never been so angry. It was then that she understood why angry vampires were the most unstable. From the next room she could smell Dorian's blood and it smelled sweet. Like the most appetizing desert. She had every desire to taste his blood but in the same instance she had no desire at all.

She was so angry as Lucas that she could have killed him. She halfway wanted to. What in the hell did he mean he could control her? What kind of bullshit was that? She sat in her room crying and sulking. Lucas called but she didn't answer. She was pissed but who could she go to? Again, she wished she had at least one friend- girl to talk to. She didn't have anybody.

Lucas knew he'd royally fucked up and he wanted to Scarlett to know that he didn't mean anything he said or did. Of course he'd never dream of actually using his influence as a sire to make her do anything…he didn't know why he'd even bought it up. He just got so mad and then when she hit him that really sent him over the edge. He could see her changing and he didn't like it. He especially didn't like the way the guys at the bar were talking about her when he went to get them drinks last night.

They were saying all kinds of lude and filthy things. He wanted to deck them but he knew it'd only cause a fight and he didn't want to make any trouble for Peter. He was angry at the guys but he was even more angry that she'd come out in such a revealing outfit, so when he saw her tonight, in something just as revealing as the previous night, he snapped. He knew he had to fix things but he didn't know how.

He went out into the hallway to get some fresh air. Jay was there stumbling. He fell down at his door and leaned against the wall.

"Jay, are you okay?"

"Fine…just a bad batch is all."

"You need to stop doing that shit."

"Now you sound like your daddy… what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

"Please little britches. I might be high but I know that you my friend…have a problem."

"It's Scarlett."

"What? She sheds too much."

"Har har har… Ever since I sired her she's been different. She dresses different she seems wilder and last night when we went to the club half of the people in there wanted to have sex with her and they were vocal about it. A few of the men and women even approached her."

"Now you're jealous?"

"Yeah."

"And you called her a whore?"

"Exactly..ho"

"And she hit you, you assaulted her back in some kind of way and you threatened to use your power as her sire?"
"How'd you know all this Jay?"

"Anybody who has ever sired a woman knows your story little britches. Look, our kind will always be our kind. Scarlett is new, she's exotic and she's rich. Everybody is going to want to fuck her and be her friend. Hell if I wasn't acquainted with her family I would have even tried! The thing you need to realize is that she loves you and she's never given you a reason not to trust her before. So don't start acting a fool over some tight, skimpy dresses and horny vamps. Oh and release her!"

"Okay, well what do I do to get her to forgive me?"

"Well first off you can help me up and second you should probably take her flowers. Bitches love flowers and shit like that."

Lucas got Jay up and he watched him stumble into his room and finally land on the bed. He went outside to his mother's greenhouse garden and he found hydrangeas that he thought would be perfect to say he was sorry. He hopped in his car and went to her place. He made sure nobody was looking and he started climbing up the fire escape. He knocked on her window and she turned to look at him. She was crying. Seeing her cry only made him feel worse. He even started to wonder if the word "jackass" was stamped across his forehead because he sure felt like one.

"What?" She said through the window. "I'm just a whore so I can't imagine what you'd be doing here."

"Scarlett I'm sorry. I was stupid and jealous and I didn't mean anything I said to you."

"Why would you want to control me?"

"I don't want to. I just used that as a tactic to fight dirty. I'm so sorry Scarlett. Please forgive me? I release you."

"I don't trust you. How do I know you aren't here to curse me out more?"

"Please Scarlett! I had an interesting talk with Jay while he was high off laced blood and he made me see that it doesn't matter what you wear or how badly other vampires want to have sex with you. I should trust you and I do. You could go outside completely naked and I'd still trust you Scar… I promise!"

"Honestly will you two please shut the fuck up? I'm trying to rock two babies to sleep and I don't appreciate your loud conversation!" Said Gray while he stood in Scarlett's door way.

"Oh sorry." Said Scarlett.

Scarlett opened the window and Lucas climbed in. He wrapped his arms around her and waited for her to hug him back. She didn't and he let her go. He looked her face over and she was till pouting.

"Well you hit me too! I could be mad about that."

"You called me a whore." She said. "I was defending myself."

"Right…"

"I guess I'm sorry."

"I'll accept that." Said Lucas with a chuckle. "So we're good again?"

"Yeah we're good." She said, smiling at him.

He was happy to be out of the doghouse. He was still a bit surprised though that Jay, the drugged up, cocky, man-whore had saved his relationship.

Thanks for reading! I'm open for some suggestions and stuff so let me know!