"I have a question," Ellie said to her mother. "Do you think I should go tell...other dad that I'm back and okay? Does he know? Or would saying that I was in hell, but that I'm back now just alarm him?"

"Oh, no, I told him," Sarah replied as she finished changing Hannah's diaper. "He knew all along. So I'm sure he would be more than happy to hear that you're all right. Then when you get back, you and I will have a talk."

"What sort of a talk?" Ellie questioned. "Is it about how I went to hell? Cause I did what I thought was best for everyone and-"

"No, the point of the talk is not to scold you," Sarah assured her. "It's...it's about Hannah. You've had so many changes in your life. You went from a toddler to a young lady in two seconds. You went to hell. And now, you come back and you find out you're not an only child? I have no doubt you have feelings and if you need to express them...I want to give you the chance."

"Thanks," Ellie nodded. "Cause one of the things Lucifer did to try and convince me to stay with him was that he showed me this movie of you and Dad and Hannah, and there was like...nothing left of me in the house. It was like you were happy without me and I never existed. It hurt."

"Oh, honey," Sarah hugged her. "I know it probably did, and I'm sorry you had to go through it...but I hope you knew in your heart that it was a lie. I hope so."

"Yeah," Ellie nodded. "But the first minute or so, when, for some stupid reason, I believed it...that was hard." She sighed. "I'll go talk to Dad and then we can have our own little chat when I get back. Do you know where he is, by the way?"

"He said he was gonna stay with his parents until he knew that you were okay," Sarah replied. "That way, if you wanted to find him, he would be at a place that you were familiar with."

"All right," Ellie nodded. "Thanks!"

"Ellie!" Junior cried, reaching out to hug her when he saw her standing on his parents' front steps, and then giving her a smile and holding her at arms' length to look her over, knitting his eyebrows in mock confusion. "You are Ellie, right?" He asked, a grin on his lips, and his voice full of sarcasm. "You look different from when I saw you last."

"Yeah, well...before I went to hell, I grew up a little, remember?" Ellie said, grinning back and continuing his teasing with her own sarcastic tone. "But it is me. You look different too. Hair's a bit grayer..." She began circling around him and running her fingers through his hair.

"Is it now?" Junior asked, his eys widening, his hand over his mouth in mock horror. "Well, you better come in and sit down while I run to the store and get a bottle of dye!" He paused and smiled. "Wanna come inside?"

"Yeah," Ellie nodded as he gestured for her to go ahead of him into the house and take a seat on the sofa. "Thanks. Are Grandma and Grandpa here?"

"No, they went to the grocery store, but if you have the time to wait until they get back, I know they'd be glad to know you're safe too."

"Actually, I'm glad we're alone for the time being cause...cause now that I'm back, there's something I want to say to you," Ellie told him. "And please don't talk until I'm through, okay?"

"Sure," Junior nodded. "Shoot."

Ellie took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "I think that from the beginning, it was obvious that you and I weren't going to have a typical relationship. You weren't in my life. You ran away at the sight of me, and left Mom to raise me alone. If I had been old enough to understand it all, I probably wouldn't have thought much of you, especially with Josh around for comparison. But when Mom and I were really in trouble, when Dad was gone and we didn't have anyone else...you came through. You were a big help to both of us. And I wanted to say 'Thank you', cause it meant a lot. It...you being here and wanting to be part of my life closed the hole that would have been there if I'd grown up without you, no matter how much I love Josh. Instead of just him and Mom, I have him, and Mom, and you. And I like that better."

"I like it too," Junior nodded. "I know you might not believe it, but I always wanted a chance to make things better. I screwed up, but I grew up too, and I learned things. I learned what it finally meant to be a parent, something your mother learned much quicker than I did."

Ellie sighed. "And another reason why I'm glad I have you is that Mom and Josh had another baby. I have a little sister. And...I love her, I do. And I totally respect their right to have another kid, but..."

"It's a bit of a shock, isn't it?" Junior asked knowingly.

"Yeah," Ellie nodded. "And I know...I know Mom still cares about me and all, but she and Josh and my sister are all the biological family and I'm the odd one out. I'm a reminder of the screwy part of her life. And she said she wanted to talk about that, but I can't tell her the truth. It would just hurt her feelings! It would hurt her feelings to know that I feel less loved and stuff because she and Dad had another kid. So I'm keeping quiet."

"No, don't do that!" Junior shook his head. "If she told you that she knows you have concerns and wants you to voice them, you should take advantage of the opportunity. I'm sure she won't be mad at you. In fact, she'll probably be glad you let her in. Don't be like me; don't use a baby as an excuse to shut her out. It'll just hurt you and I don't want you to make the same mistake I did."

"So take her at her word?" Ellie questioned. "Even if I'm scared she doesn't want what she says she wants?"

"Yes," Junior nodded. "Tell her everything that's on your mind; get it out in the open. It'll be good for both of you."

"All right," Ellie replied and hugged him. "Will you...when I want to tell her will you be there with me?"

"Sure," Junior nodded. "Of course I will."

"Thanks," Ellie nodded and kissed his cheek. "Cause that will really make me feel better about it."

"Thank you for coming to tell us you're all right," Junior's mom, Mary said to Ellie. "When we heard what happened, we were horrified! But because our relationship with your mother has been...well, it's been better than we could have hoped, all things considering, but we never felt like your mother owed us visits with you or explanations about anything. This is a nice surprise."

"Well, I know my going...where I went was a shock to everyone and I wanted you all to know that I was okay," Ellie put a hand on Mary's arm. "Would you like me to get you a drink or something?"

"Oh, no, thanks," Mary shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Maybe a little too fine," Ellie said. "Why is everyone so calm about this?"

"Well, we're all magic, for one," her grandpa Liam replied. "And for two, your grandmother was cursed by a witch to turn into a monster when she turned sixteen or eighteen, I can't remember which, and after getting through that, the thought of my granddaughter going to hell is kind of par for the course. Sorry to disappoint you."

"No, no," Ellie shook her head. "I'm glad everyone's not freaked out. Cause I did this for a greater good, so...yeah."

"But seriously...are you okay?" Liam asked. "You...were you hurt?"

"Some typical hell things happened to me," Ellie nodded. "But if...I'm surrounded by people who care, which isn't a problem, I should be all right."

"Good," Mary nodded as they all hugged her. "We're here for you. Always."

"Thanks, Grandma," Ellie said. "I really appreciate that."

Then, knowing what was waiting for her at home, Ellie did her best to hold it off, helping Liam with chores and playing cards with Mary until Sarah called and said, "Are you still with your dad? Are you planning on being home for dinner?"

"Yeah, sorry," Ellie apologized. "We'll be back home in a little bit. Bye, Mom." Then, she stood up, hugged her grandparents goodbye, and locked eyes with Junior. "Time to go face the music," she remarked.

"It won't be as bad as you think," Junior replied. "Come on."

"There you are, Ellie," Josh remarked. "Your mother wants to talk to you."

"I know," Ellie nodded. "I need to talk to her, too. And Junior is here for moral support."

"Okay, good," Josh replied. "She's in our bedroom."

So they walked to the bedroom and Ellie knocked on the closed door. "Mom, can I come in?"

"Yes!" Sarah replied. "Please do!"

"And I came with her!" Junior added. "Is that okay?"

"If it is with her," Sarah agreed.

So they both came in and sat on the bed next to her. "Here we are," Ellie said. "Here to talk about...everything. Where do you want to start?"

"Well, let's start with...how do you really feel about Hannah?" Sarah questioned. "Are you really happy about her, or is that just for me?"

"No, no, I'm really happy, but...it feels kind of weird," Ellie admitted as Junior took her hand and squeezed. "You seem so happy with her, you know? And...well...have you always felt that same way with me, or was I just a constant reminder of how screwed up your life was?"

"No, no!" Sarah shook her head and pulled Ellie into a hug. "Of course that's not what you were! I love you, Ellie Bean! I always have! And sure, we had to be a little creative before Josh came along, but...it wasn't your fault. Don't ever think it's your fault. Cause it isn't."

"Yeah," Junior nodded. "It's mine."

"But anyway," Sarah continued. "What I feel with Hannah is that she makes everything complete. She really helps me know that things have changed for the better. Now I truly no longer feel like my single-motherness is the biggest part of my identity. Now I'm a wife, a mother of two lovely daughters, and...I can do all sorts of new stuff that I didn't think were options for me before."

"But you don't hate me or think I'm in the way?" Ellie clarified.

"No!" Sarah shook her head. "I definitely don't. I'm sorry you did, though. Thank you for telling me, even if it must've been hard."

"I was originally going to keep it quiet so you wouldn't feel bad, but...Dad told me I should say something."

"You did?" Sarah looked at Junior in amazement. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Junior told her. "I thought you both would feel better if everything was out in the open."

"I do," Sarah nodded and gave Ellie a look. "Do you?"

"Yeah," Ellie nodded and smiled. "I think I do."

"Bad day?" Dexter asked a blood soaked Lucifer as he returned to his room after his latest bout with the wrathful. He'd taken on several and it had done him a world of good.

"No, good day," Lucifer shook his head and grinned. "Great, wonderful, glorious day! I haven't gotten to have such a good time torturing people since before-" He paused. "Never mind. Have I seen the lustful yet? Maybe I should shower up and go see the lustful. They're always a fun bunch."

"Say it..." Dexter prodded. "Say how long it's been since you've had a good time torturing people."

"Why should I have to do that?" Lucifer questioned. "You know it will only make me angry."

"And that's your own fault that you can't talk about Miss Ellie without being angry," Dexter pointed out. "You drove her away!"

"And you helped her escape!" Lucifer burst out. "We still need to have a conversation about that one."

"If you want me to feel bad for helping her, I won't," Dexter replied defiantly.

"Of course you won't," Lucifer huffed and went to make himself one drink, and then another, and then another. "Everyone sticks up for her."

"Because she is a nice person!" Dexter cried. "And she didn't deserve what you did to her. If you would have just told her how you felt about her...that you like her, because you do, she wouldn't have felt the need to leave and we would all be better for it."

"Oh, don't be stupid!" Lucifer scoffed. "I don't like her. I don't need her. I can manage just fine. She's nothing but a...a person who sticks her nose in where it doesn't belong! She can stay right where she is and make others miserable for all I care!"

"This is gonna take a long time, isn't it?" Dexter asked. "You're just gonna ignore everything that could make you happy and let yourself be miserable instead."

"Well, yeah!" Lucifer nodded and threw a bottle at his bedroom wall, causing it to shatter. "Cause really, Dexter, what is the point of me being open about my feelings? Will my admitting what I feel suddenly make Eleanor want to come back so we can live happily ever after? No, it fucking won't! I'll just be here with a bunch of feelings that I will never be able to deal with because the person who is the cause of them is never coming back. I accept that. It's fine. I don't need her. It's bette for anger to be my chief emotion, anyway. It makes me better at my job. And what I learned from the mess with Eleanor is that if I get all touchy feely, I lose everyone's respect. I'd rather have my reputation than love and there you go."

"What if there was some way I could get you the sort of affirmation you needed?" Dexter asked.

"Well, good luck," Lucifer huffed. "It's not gonna happen."

"It might," Dexter said. "You never know. I'll see what I can do."

He left and Lucifer rolled his eyes. It would take a miracle for Ellie to come back to him now. For her to even look at him. And the devil never experienced miracles. They just weren't his department.

"All right," Alistair woke up one morning, got out of his sleeping bag, and headed for the bassinet where baby Christopher was sleeping. It had been an interesting start at first, but not as difficult as it probably would have been for most people because Christopher was not the first child of Klaus' that he had been around. The first part demon, sure. But Klaus had also fathered werewolf hybrids and witch hybrids, so a demon hybrid was just another challenge for him.

But when he reached the bassinet, to his shock, there was nothing in it. He looked around the cave for some reason, even though an infant was incapable of traveling, and of course, found nothing. Then, heard a noise...a cracking. He turned around, and there was a big, white cocoon, resting against a wall of the cave. And it was cracking. Something seemed to be trying to get out.

"Oh, my god," Alistair whispered, trying to wrack his brain. Then he remembered that his daughter had delivered a demon baby and had talked about the cocoon. He called her up, just as the gooey young man emerged from it and approached him, pausing uncertainly as he and Alistair both stared at one another.

"Daddy?" He asked. "What happened to me? I'm big now." He was a good looking boy with poofy blonde hair that hung into serious green eyes, and a muscular, compact body.

"I-I think it's just part of being a demon," Alistair tried to calm him down, zapping up a bath full of warm water, soap, and a wash cloth. "Why don't you clean yourself up and then we'll get you dressed and I'll explain more the best I can."

"Okay," Christopher nodded and got in the tub. "But you don't think I'm a freak?"

"No," Alistair shook his head and gave the young man a smile. "I think you're exactly what you're supposed to be, and that's good."

Christopher gave him a small smile then. "Thank you," he said. "You don't look a lot like me. Do I look more like my mom?"

"Actually, you look like both your parents," Alistair replied. "I'm not actually your father. Your father and I have been friends for a while and because the devil was after you, I agreed to watch you until he was off the trail."

"So my parents want me?" Christopher questioned as he washed himself. "They didn't just get rid of me?"

"No," Alistair shook his head. "It was a very hard decision for both of them, your mother in particular. Once you're dressed, would you like to go see them?"

"Is it safe?" Christopher questioned. "Would leaving here put me in danger?"

"I'm not sure," Alistair shrugged. "You make a good point. Your father knows where we are, so I could just call him and then he and your mother could come to us. Would you feel safer that way?"

"Yes," Christopher decided. "I would, thank you."

"I'm scared to go in there," Sybil said to Klaus as they made their way toward the cave. "What if Christopher hates us for giving him up and he's mad? I just...I don't think my heart could take it!"

"He won't be mad at us!" Klaus tried to assure her. "When we sent him with Alistair, it was for good reasons. It was because we care! I'm sure that Alistair let him know that. You don't have anything to worry about!"

But Sybil was still nervous. So nervous in fact that Klaus had to actually pick her up and carry her into the cave as she screamed, "No, no! I can't see him! I just can't!"

Then, as he put her down, he saw the hurt look in his son's eyes.

"I'm sorry," Christopher replied quietly, his eyes turning red as tears went down his face. "I knew this was a bad idea. I knew you wouldn't want to see me!"

"No, no," Klaus told him. "Your mother isn't upset about meeting you. She doesn't hate you. She just...she's afraid that you're so disappointed in how we gave you away that you won't forgive us."

Sybil ran over to him and hugged him. "Yes, that's right!" She asked desperately. "Do you forgive us?"

"If you want me and you sent me away to protect me, then...of course I forgive you!" Christopher told her. "If you don't mind a freak like me as a son. I came out of a cocoon, you know. Who does that?"

"It's a demon thing," Sybil told him. "You got it from me. I came out of a cocoon too. All it means is that you're fully grown. It's not something freakish."

"And when you start sprouting fur and turning into a wolf, that's from me," Klaus informed him. "We really gave you lots of stuff to deal with. But we're ready to help you with it."

"Good," Christopher smiled and wiped his eyes with his hand. "Thanks a lot, Mom and Dad!"

"Elijah!" His brother Kol greeted him as he opened the door. "I would say that I was pleased you came to visit your youngest living brother, but I think we both know that you're not here for me, are you?"

"I can't say it's my first priority, no," Elijah replied dryly and made his way inside. "But if you and Margot can convince Amy to come home with me, I suppose I could stay for a few extra hours."

"You came to take Amy home with you?" Kol questioned, eyebrow raised. "Well, thank you! She's huge now and she's not sleeping, which is just problem for all of us!"

"Yes, it would be for you," Elijah returned dryly. "I know how you hate to miss out on your beauty rest."

"There's no shame in looking your best," Kol remarked, his dark eyes shining.

"Who is it?" His wife Margot called as she came down the stairs.

"It's my brother come to take your sister home with him!" Kol told her. "Lily must be doing better now."

"How is she doing?" Elijah asked Margot. "Is she well? Kol says she's not sleeping."

"Well, she's big, so it's kind of hard for her to get comfortable," Margot replied, shaking out her red hair. "But other than that, she's good. If you want to talk to her, you better hurry. She's trying for a nap at the moment."

So Elijah ran upstairs and found his very pregnant wife trying to get comfortable and close her eyes.

"Oh, hello," she greeted him with a yawn. "I'm sorry if you came for a date, but I am just too tired."

"Yes, I heard," Elijah nodded. "Want me to give you a back rub to help you sleep?"

"Yes, that would be nice," Amy nodded.

So he did, and when he could tell that she had dozed off, he picked her up and carried her down the stairs.

"Where are you going with my sister?" Margot questioned.

"I'm taking her home with me," Elijah replied. "Practically that'll be easier than trying to move her and the baby later. Don't you think?"

"I suppose, if that's what you want," Margot sighed. "But she's going to be kind of mad at you for taking her away without her permission. Are you prepared to deal with that?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "I'll take her hom and then come back for her things. Is that all right with you? Thank you for watching over her for me."

"You're welcome," Margot smiled. "And we'll have her stuff ready soon. Kol's been wanting to pack for her for ages."

"Of course he has," Elijah nodded knowingly. "He's never really been a fan of a house guest of Amy's type. He only likes it when they come to party."

Although he had hoped to get Amy in the house and up to bed before she awoke, her eyes opened as they pulled into the driveway.

"What are we doing here?" Amy asked. "Did you take me while I was sleeping? I was going to come home eventually. You couldn't have just let me leave on my own? See, this is exactly why I left in the first place! Cause you're such a damn control freak, even though I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

"I thought it would be easy to get you home first so that we wouldn't have to move you, baby, and all of the baby's things at one time!" Elijah told her. "Excuse me for being practical!"

"You could have at least waited and asked me to come with you first," Amy snapped. "That is what normal, considerate, non control freak people do!"

"So you're telling me that you see no benefit to coming back here?" Elijah countered. "You're so proud that you can't see the good side of this at all?"

"Well, your brother Kol is a pain in the butt," Amy admitted. "I got the room with the biggest mirror and he would come in stare at himself whenever he felt like it. Even when I was sleeping! The first time he did it, I almost had a heart attack! And the parties he and Margot throw: you can't sleep through those, especially not when Margot gets really drunk, stumbles into your bedroom and throws up on the floor before collapsing into your bed!" She shuddered. "I guess a good night's sleep alone is a good enough reason to be glad I'm back with you...but I still don't like that you basically kidnapped me!"

"Oh, but what I did was not kidnapping!" Elijah cried and waved the thought away. "Don't be over dramatic!"

"You carried me out of my sister's house while I was sleeping!" Amy cried. "How is that not kidnapping?"

"Cause I didn't use force, your sister knew I was leaving with you, and I am not holding you for ransom." Elijah pointed out. "Thus, it is technically not a kidnapping. You want me to tuck you into bed?"

"As long as you're not coming in bed with me," Amy sighed. "But first, I have to go to the bathroom."

"You do that," Elijah replied. "And it won't be like this for much longer! That's a happy thought, right?"

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "That's something, I guess."