"I know this will seem like a stupid question," Helene told Percy, "and please don't take this the wrong way, but…what brought you here, do you think? You said originally that you came looking for me that first night, but I don't know."

"Those are good instincts you have," Malachai told her as he brought some books to the kitchen so he and Percy could work out their plan of study. "He didn't come for you."

"I didn't?" Percy asked. "Then who did I come for?"

"I'm pretty sure you came for me," Malachai told him. "You know how you were conceived, right?"

"Yeah," Percy nodded. "Mom was too busy to find a man, so…" his eyes widened. "Are you him?"

"How do you know?" Helene cried.

"I have a thing that tracks every time my sperm is used," Malachai told her. "That's how I knew about Sarah too."

"Well, I guess so," Helene replied, looking surprised. "How many more will be showing up at our door, do you think?"

"Do you really want to know the number?" Malachai asked her. "It might overwhelm you."

"All right, I won't press the issue," Helene said. "At least not for now. And besides, if every child you've fathered is like Percy or Sarah, what do I have to worry about?"

Malachai then went over and sat next to Percy. "Do you have any questions? I know news like this is a bit overwhelming, especially when it's just blurted out."

"No, actually," Percy shook his head. "I've known about my unique circumstances my whole life. I figured my father wouldn't ever be part of my life and since it wasn't like he was someone who up and left the family, I never spent a lot of time dwelling on the issue." He paused as Malachai looked a little crestfallen. "However," he continued quickly, "I guess I wouldn't mind learning a few things now that this new relationship of ours is out in the open."

"Okay, go ahead," Malachai urged, smiling broadly now. "Ask me anything."

"Why are you so sure that I came to see you?" Percy asked. "If I didn't know you were the man who fathered me until now?"

Malachai opened his mouth and then shut it, not really knowing how to answer that question. "Well, did you sense some sort of connection to me that you couldn't quite explain?" He asked finally. "Sarah has an uncanny fondness for me."

"Well, children her age get close to people much easier," Percy replied. "Not that I dislike you or think that we'll never have a relationship. Cause we will beyond what we have now. I just need a little time."

"Yes," Malachai nodded. "Of course, I understand."

"Good," Percy nodded and pulled a book toward him. "Thank you. Now, what do you say we focus on first things first? What do you think I need to know in order to be well-educated?"

"Well, not everything you should learn will be in books," Helene told him. "They can only take you so far. Actually doing spells is much more helpful, I think."

"I'm open for that," Percy said agreeably. "And I'm much more comfortable doing dull things like levitation. The whole time travel idea was completely Steve's."

"I do believe that," Helene told him. "Don't worry."

"And I have no doubt your parents will come back," he continued. "I know we made a big mistake, but it will be fixed in the end."

"Oh, I know," Helene nodded. "You don't have to worry yourself. You're not the one who cast it, are you?"

"No," Percy shook his dark head. "Can't say I was."

"Well, there you go," Helene nodded. "My father is excellent with time travel spells, so the only thing that might hold him back is convincing everyone else to go back with him."

"And how long do you think that will take?" Malachai asked.

"Hard to say," Helene shrugged. "If it goes on long enough, my entire existence might be erased, but there's really nothing we can do about it, so it's something I have to try not to think about." She then turned to Percy. "So…you wanna do books first, or actually doing magic first?"

"Books," Percy said immediately. "It's really hard for me to do a spell comfortably unless I'm really sure I know it."

"That's sound logic," Helene nodded. "Good thinking."

"Well, that went better than I thought it would," Malachai told Helene after Percy left. "Do you think I was too blunt?"

Helene put her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry about it. It's hard to deliver news like that in a way that won't shock at least a little."

"What about you?" Malachai wanted to know. "Was it a shock for you too?"

"If by 'shock' you mean something that's startled me so much that I want to run away from you, no," Helene shook her head. "It wasn't a shock. Not in that sense. But people who donate sperm like that usually don't go to such lengths to keep track of the kids they fathered. Now, I'm sure you have your reasons, so I won't push, but I can't say it doesn't intrigue me."

"Oh, it's nothing bad," Malachai assured her. "I just…you'll probably think it's really weird, but…those kids (before you came along, I mean) were the closest thing I had to a full-time family. I know it sounds silly, but…that's why I keep track of them: so in my own way, I can pretend like they're my family too, along with the women who brought them into the world."

Helene smooched him and then tried not to tear up. "That's very sweet," she told him. "And I-I'm really touched you consider me family."

"Of course I do," He said as he pulled her to him. "You've done so much for me even when I was a virtual stranger to you, so how could I not consider you family?"

"And I'm glad I have you too," Helene replied. "With Mom and Dad gone and being divorced with grown children, there are hardly any family members that I have that I see full time. Except you."

Malachai smiled and began kissing her neck. "This might seem like a foolish thing to put forth since you just got divorced and all, but…do you suppose, with time, we could be more than family? Married, maybe? We've pretty much done everything you need to do leading up to it."

"Maybe," Helene told him, putting a finger on his lips. "I mean, I won't say 'No', of course. But now…now is too soon for me to be thinking about marriage again."

"Oh, I know that," Malachai assured her. "I was just putting it out there as something that could happen someday."

"I hope it does," Helene whispered in his ear. "Really."

"I'm really glad you liked Eli and Aunt Rebecca," Victoria told Kai appreciatively. "I'm gonna try and introduce you to the people who are completely different from Grandpa Kol or Grandma Gwen just for a change."

"What about Robbie and Louisa?" Kai asked. "Are they bad?"

"No," Victoria shook her head. "I mean, I think it would be fair to warn you that Robbie is the product of a one-night-stand that Aunt Rebecca had with Uncle Klaus, so that's that, but that could be a positive thing, I suppose, if he's like Adrian, and I think he kind of is. But more mature. And Louisa's a one-time human turned vampire. A very sweet girl."

Kai chuckled. "I wish I had more family for you to meet," he said.

"What about you and Sean?" Victoria asked. "Are you two talking now? Have you since the incident?"

"Who knows if he'd talk to me now?" Kai asked. "But I suppose I could try."

"Good," Victoria said, taking him in her arms and kissing him. "That's a very mature thing to do. I'll even come with you if you want moral support."

"I wouldn't say I need moral support," Kai replied. "But backup in case Sean sees me and tries to kill me would be nice."

"All right," Victoria nodded. "I'll let you handle this, but I have your back. You want to get in touch with him, or should I?"

"I'll do it," Kai said, even though he knew that meant it would take longer. "Since this is my situation, I should be the one to make contact."

"That is a good point," Victoria said. "Good for you."

And they didn't even have to try very hard to get hold of him. Kai gathered his strength and called, and the next night, Sean and Junior were on Kai and Victoria's doorstep. When Kai let them in, Junior hissed at him.

"Now, now," Sean told him. "That's not the way to behave when someone wants to make peace."

"So you forgive me for what happened? If our wives have made peace, I think we should."

Sean sighed. "You've done me lots of wrongs over the years," he told him. "Do you feel bad about what happened with Eva?"

"Yes, I do," Kai nodded. "It was a bad mistake. Victoria will always be the one for me."

"Good," Sean told him after a long pause. "I suppose I'll forgive you then."

"Thanks," Kai told him. "You wanna come in and set Junior down with Molly and then I'll get us a drink?"

"Sure." Sean remarked. He pulled out his wallet to count his dollar bills and then the picture of a lovely woman with dark hair and green eyes drifted out of the wallet.

"Who's that?" Kai asked as Sean quickly picked it up.

"No one," he answered. "No one you need to know about."

"That's your new girlfriend, isn't it?" Kai prodded. "She's pretty! What's her name?"

"Stop saying things like that!" Sean said, looking disgusted. "Like I told you, who she is is none of your business."

"Okay, fine," Kai sighed. "In the spirit of reconciliation, I'll let it drop."

"Good," Sean told him as he sat down. "Thank you."

And Kai kept his word, even though it was very difficult. Only when he and Victoria were changing for bed did he finally blurt out, "I think Sean has a girlfriend!"

"He does?" Victoria asked, pausing her search for a t-shirt to sleep in. "What gave you that idea?"

"A picture of a woman I've never seen before fell out of his wallet and when I asked who it was, he told me to mind my own business!" Kai said. "Obviously, that means he's hiding something!"

"Or he could just be well within his rights to keep his own secrets," Victoria suggested. "He doesn't have to tell you everything. In fact, given how shaky your relationship has been over the years, I'm surprised he tells you as much as he does."

"Don't you think Eva should know about this?" Kai prodded. "If she's thinking of getting back together with him, this is gonna break her heart!"

"Oh, I'm sure Eva could handle that," Victoria reassured him as she pulled a shirt on and then climbed into bed. "Don't you have better things to think about?"

"Yes," Kai nodded, climbing in bed beside her, kissing her, and helping her remove the shirt. "I don't know why you put this on when you knew that I was just gonna take it off."

Victoria smiled. "I never want to make things too easy for you. You could get bored with me."

"I don't think that would ever happen," Kai replied before sinking his fangs into her neck as his fingers lightly caressed her bare breast.

Victoria moaned and bucked her hips forward. "Yes," she breathed. "Yes!"

As one of his hands moved down her body and then a long finger entered between her parted legs, she held his other hand and nibbled on his fingers before sucking on them gently, an action that made him growl and quickly change position, burying himself inside her so quickly that she screamed and nearly hit her head on the headboard.

"Are you okay?" Kai asked after in a hushed voice.

"Yeah," Victoria nodded. "Good thing we put those spells on the twins' doors so they wouldn't be able to hear us. That would really spoil the mood."

"Are you tired?" Kai asked.

"No," Victoria grinned and shook her head. "I'm just getting warmed up."

"Good," Kai told her and then kissed her again. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

They did another round and after Victoria was asleep and the lights were out, Kai did something he knew Victoria wouldn't approve of: he called Eva.

"I just thought you should know that Sean has a new girlfriend," he told her.

Her 'Hello' had sounded very sleepy, but her next words were from someone who was very awake. "He has a new girlfriend? What's she like?"

"I don't know," Kai whispered. "I've only seen a picture. But she's pretty."

"Of course she is," Eva huffed. "I guess it's too much to expect him to have his other girlfriends be ugly. Thanks for telling me."

"You're welcome," Kai told her. "I'm sorry I woke you, but I thought you should know."

"I'm glad you did," Eva replied. "And I know why you had to tell me now: Victoria would have caught you at any other time. If you don't have anything more to say, I'm gonna say good night."

"All right," Kai said. "Goodnight, Eva." He ended the call, then turned to check and see if Victoria was still asleep before going back to bed himself and not feeling one bit sorry about what he'd done.