Warning! Subtle Spoiler Alert and Shameless teary eyed Oscar speech! I have added a small element from Dead in the Family. I thought I would address this for those who haven't read it yet and now for my Oscar Speech: I want to thank treewitch703 for the superb beta work she has put into this story. I want to also thank my reader for their love and support. I want to thank DeeDee, mistress of another site that has featured this story. Thank you all! I really truly do mean it!

I woke up to my daughter jumping on my bed, fully dressed and ready to start her day. Blue jeans, long sleeved purple Hello Kitty tee and hair up in pigtails. What the…? Then I caught the scent of turkey. Okay, what's up?

"Morning baby. Who dressed you?" I had to cut to the chase.

"Auggie. She is making Thanksgiving for us," Izzy replied.

The door was pushed open by the child sized elf/fairy or whatever the hell she was. It's early and I'm not much of a morning person. Although, God bless her, she had a steaming mug of coffee for me. She put it on the dresser and gave me that bright eyed, pointy toothed smile. Hate to admit it, but I'm getting quite used to it. Today she wore a more subdued palette of colors. Green highlights in her white hair. Brown hooded sweatshirt with pumpkin colored piping. Skinny jeans and her beat up Docs. No crazy cartoon characters that I could see, but I suspected there was one lurking under her sweatshirt somewhere. She dressed in the colors of the season. That was no big surprise.

Auggie joined Izzy on the end of my bed. The mattress didn't shift under her weight like it did Izzy's. I

supposed it has to do with her otherness. Auggie's ears stuck out from her baby fine straight hair. She sat cross legged. Still smiling. Probably the warmest smile she can give with those teeth. I wondered why Auggie never filed her teeth down like her father did?

"Because I never saw a need to hide who I was. Besides, it's such a hassle," Auggie answered, reading my thoughts again.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Auggie.

"I saw that you didn't have anything for Thanksgiving. I wasn't sure if you were one of those humans that didn't believe in holidays? Then I thought about how I would feel being alone on a day where so many are celebrating. Then I thought, Astir, what would you do? Come over and visit my friends anyway, holiday or not. So here I am," Auggie (who, I guess, still thought of herself as Astir) said, giving me a thoughtful look. I smiled at her.

"You know, I've been so busy getting settled in that I forgot. Thanks Auggie," I said. I wanted to ask her how much I owed her for the food, but thought I better not in front of Izzy.

"Think nothing of it. You don't owe me a dime," Auggie answered my thoughts again. She got off my bed and went to check on the food. Izzy followed her with pigtails bouncing. "The wolf should be coming soon to drop off your son," Auggie turned around to say as I closed my bedroom door.

Andy. I wondered how my boy's night went? I hope he was safe and enjoyed his first real hunt as a wolf. Then I thought of that bastard, T-Bone. I hope he meets his fate at the hands of a vampire instead of the end of that rifle in my son's bedroom closet.

I showered and went to my closet. I remembered seeing Eric duck into my closet. I closed my heavy bedroom drapes before checking it out. Everything inside looked as it usually did. No dead bodies sleeping here. I moved back my clothes and started lightly pounding the walls. There had to be some sort of secret room in here. I gave up and just accepted that I was never going to find anything.

I slipped into a pair of jeans and a green sweater. The smell of the turkey reached my nose. I thought of Daddy Joe and our Thanksgivings. My children and I usually celebrated the holiday with that old coot. Now I needed to go see if Auggie needed any help.

Izzy silently played with a couple of Barbies on the living room coffee table. I kissed her forehead as I passed her on the way to the kitchen.

"It's okay, Mom. Eric and Auggie won't let the bad man get us," she said. I knew there had to be another reason for the pint sized woman's visit. Eric must have called her.

"No he didn't," I heard Auggie say from the kitchen. "I had this planned for a while now. I've always wanted to celebrate a human holiday with average humans that weren't all rich and formal. I like you, B. I like your kids too. I haven't ever had the chance to know normal humans before. I was always hired by the wealthy humans and supes. Royalty can actually be a boring lot. I jumped at the chance when the North man explained your situation to me. He never told me about the werewolf. Your daughter told me about that during my first visit here. Yes, I am more than capable of taking down a rogue wolf, but that is not what I was hired to do. I was hired to take care of and protect your children. If he happens to come around

when I'm here, I'll do what I must," Auggie said with the most serious look on her face that I've ever seen. She may be small and seem inconsequential, but Auggie was full of fire at that moment. I never thought someone so small could be so scary. "Besides, I consider you my friend. Friends always have each other's backs," Auggie then said with softened features. She came up to me and gave me a hug. I felt her love.

Auggie wouldn't be considered a dwarf. She was in proportion to her size. I'd guess she was probably four foot eight with bare feet. She moved gracefully as she whisked around the kitchen, making sure everything was just so. I helped her with making the dressing and cranberry sauce. Auggie worked on the bird. A turkey big enough to feed an army.

"Better too much than not enough," she told me with a wink of an eye. Auggie was a supernatural Martha Stewart despite the fact that she looked fifteen. She even made time for a homemade pecan pie. We both had a good old time girl bonding and occasionally glancing at the television to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Around noon, a black truck pulled into the drive. It was Alcide's truck. I ran out and hugged my boy. I know it was only the first night, but I missed him. He hugged me back. Izzy even had to give her brother a hug. Andy picked her up like she weighed next to nothing.

"Eric took me flying," Izzy told her brother. Andy looked surprised. Alcide smirked.

"He took you flying, Iz? You mean like in an airplane?" Andy asks her.

"No, like Superman. Eric can fly like Superman," Izzy said nonchalantly way.

"He can fly. That's pretty cool Iz," Andy says, giving his sister a warm smile.

"Yeah. I got to see you and your dad hunt. You look just like him, only he's bigger," Izzy said. "You were chasing a rabbit."

"Yes I was," Andy says.

"Caught the critter in no time," Alcide whispers proudly into my ear. Damn that man smelled good!

"Then I saw the bad man. Only he was a wolf like you and your dad," Izzy tells Andy. Andy's smile dropped. Then I heard a low growl resonating from his throat. Alcide frowns at me.

"It's a long story," I said to my baby's daddy.

"I'd like to hear it," Alcide said.

"Not around the kids," I responded.

"That's why you got a rifle with silver shot?" Alcide wasn't going to give up.

"Eric gave me that rifle so I can protect my family," Andy intervened. I put my head into my hand. I didn't want to be dealing with this right now.

"Northman gave my boy a rifle? How could you let him do that?" Alcide raised his voice at me.

"The boy knows how to use a gun," A small voice said before I had a chance to answer. I look to the porch to see Auggie standing in the doorway. "Besides, Andy is more Belinda's boy than yours, wolf. She is only doing what's best for her family," Auggie said, standing up to someone twice her size.

"I didn't know you have three kids," Alcide snapped out.

"I am not a child, wolf. I am a woman. A much, much older woman," Auggie said as she descended the porch steps and stood in front of Alcide, craning her neck to look up into his eyes. Auggie looked like a little kid next to Alcide. She shook her straight short baby fine hair back so that he could see the pointed ears. She gave him a menacing smile, showing off all her small sharp teeth. Alcide's eyes widened.

"What are you?" Alcide mumbled.

"Well, I'm not a child. I think we already established that," Auggie said, looking at her nails. "If I were human, I'd be

considered a dwarf or little person... I think we can rule that out," Auggie said, looking back up at Alcide. Alcide just nodded. "If you are nice and say please, I guess I might tell you," Auggie then said as a bright light formed in the palm of her hand. The kids and I just stood there and stared.

Alcide was at a loss for words, then he finally said the magic word, "Please," he mumbled.

"Would you believe I'm a cross breed. I am half elf and half fairy," Auggie finally said with a playful smile. The light faded from her palm. "Because you said the magic word, I'd also like to extend an invite to you, Mr. Herveaux. Since you are not on speaking terms with your father. I was wondering if you would like to join our little Thanksgiving Feast? I have made plenty."

"How did you know?" Alcide asked, stunned.

"Lucky guess. At least he didn't abjure you. That would have been bad," Auggie said as Alcide still looked stunned. I let out a laugh.

"Don't ask. Just answer her," I tell him as I patted his shoulder. Alcide looked over at me and I just smiled.

"I guess I have no where else to go. Sure I'll join you," Alcide said.

"Goody! The more the merrier!" Auggie said as she skipped back into the house.

"She's a strange little critter," Alcide mumbled. I just smiled as I let him in.

"Mom, remind me not to mess with Auggie," Andy then mumbled in my ear as he passed me. Izzy just looked straight ahead at Alcide. I wondered what was going on in that brain of hers. Izzy seemed wary of Alcide.

"Make yourself at home," I tell Alcide. He gave me a smile and sat in my favorite chair. Izzy had been watching the parade and some cartoons.

"Can I watch the game sweetheart?" Alcide asks Izzy. Izzy frowned at the big man and went off to her bedroom.

"You can watch whatever you want to now. Seems Izzy decided to go to her room," I tell Alcide and handed him the remote. His hand brushed mine. I blushed and he did too.

"Thank you, Belinda," he mutters. Andy rolled his eyes. My boy liked Alcide, but he loved his Mom. My boy had seen me go all gaga with lust before. He had seen it turn out bad too.

"Not a problem," I said softly before heading back into the kitchen.

Auggie grins at me from ear to ear as she worked on her sweet potato casserole. "Afraid the wolf is going to bite you?" she said in a playful way. I just laughed.

"No, besides he's taken," I said.

"That Debbie Pelt brat. That girl has been nothing but trouble," Auggie muttered.

"Izzy doesn't seem to care for her much and she doesn't even know her. Claims the woman shot her angel or some such," I told Auggie. Auggie laughed.

"The Pelts hired me once. I was nanny for Debbie and her sister. There was no getting through to those two. Bad to the bone," Auggie said nonchalantly. "Your daughter may be on to something though."

"I don't know, Auggie. She's been giving Alcide a hard time whenever she sees him. I don't know what's going on in her head sometimes. Between the autism and the visions… It's just too much," I said.

"Could this angel of hers happen to be Eric Northman?"

"I think so. Why?"

"Izzy likes to talk about him. She tells me that he is going to protect her, even when she is bigger. That's what she tells me," Auggie said with a tender smile.

"She made these drawings at the restaurant I used to work at. I still have them," I said, sorting through my purse. I pulled out the plain white place mats with the crayon drawings. I handed them to Auggie. She looked at them with interest. She pulled out the one of the two blond figures. One had a stake going through it. Looked like the stake was in the stomach area.

"This is what's to come. That's all I can tell you," she says. Then she looked at the most disturbing one of all the four drawings. One of a redheaded figure lying on the ground with legs bent in an unnatural way. The stick figure appeared to be wearing glasses and a black dress. A blond figure stood above her. A frown hit Auggie's face.

"All I can tell you about this one is; whatever you do, do not stand near a sink when you are at the bar during the day. Especially three years from now. I'm probably making a big mistake telling you this. I'm not one to interfere," Auggie said abruptly.

"Why?"

"Just trust me on this one, Belinda. I can't tell you any more. I promised myself long ago never to interfere. There is only one time I should have…" Tears began to well up in her bright blue eyes. I reached out and took her hand.

"We're friends," was all I could say.

"It happened in Russia. I was au pair to the Romanov family. That bastard, Rasputin. I should have stopped him when I had the chance. The evil he has set in motion…" Auggie sobbed.

"That was long ago. The evil is long gone. Communism has fallen since then," I said, trying my best to soothe her.

"I'm not talking human politics. There is evil that has come about from the Romanov's death. It still roams the earth to this day. Rasputin made a deal with a vampire. I've told you way too much, Belinda. Forget I ever breathed a word of this," Auggie said, as she calmed down. I was curious if the infamous Rasputin was a vampire, it wouldn't surprise me. "Rasputin is good and dead. Let's just leave it at that," Auggie then said. I didn't want to push the touchy subject any farther.

Aside from strange revelations that made no sense to me and a pissy werewolf, Auggie served the best

Thanksgiving dinner ever. The table only seated four. Auggie offered her place to Alcide, but Izzy wasn't having it. Auggie set up a card table and chairs. I was tempted to make Izzy and Andy sit there, but thought the better of it. Izzy wouldn't like the concept of the kiddie table. Instead Alcide kindly sat at the card table. He understood that there was no changing my daughter. Andy took his plate and sat with him. I guess instead of a kiddie table we had a wolfie table. Izzy never protested. I guess that deep down she knew that Andy wanted to sit with his father.

The doorbell rang. Auggie stood up from the table. "We have one more guest," she said and headed for the door. Daddy Joe came hobbling in with his cane. "You must be the one Belinda calls Daddy Joe?" Auggie asked.

"I am, little lady. Smells mighty nice. Am I late?" Daddy Joe asked Auggie. Auggie smiled.

"No. You're just in time," Auggie says warmly as she helped the old man to the dining area.

"There's my honey child and bayou princess," Daddy Joe says as he gave me a hug. "How's my pup?" he asked Andy. Then he noticed Alcide. He gave Alcide a long look. Alcide just smiled at the old man. Alcide stood up, making Daddy Joe appear even more frail. "I knew the smell of wolf was strong in here," Daddy Joe said. He looked at Andy and then to Alcide again. "You must be my pup's father. Can't deny it," Daddy Joe said.

"Alcide Herveaux," Alcide said with a nod.

"Daddy Joe. No last name. Bastards can track you down with a last name. Daddy Joe, hunter," the old man said with a serious look. Alcide seemed amused until he saw the silver chain around the old man's neck. Attached to that chain was a wolf's claw. Larger than the run of the mill wolf. Then he spotted the key fob the old man kept fastened to his belt loop. Five vampire fangs and two werewolf claws. Daddy Joe made good and sure Alcide saw his trophies. Daddy Joe played with the key fob. "Funny thing about vamper teeth. They don't turn to ash like the rest of the body does. Werewolf claws aren't as easy to get. Got to pull it from the body before the beast dies," Daddy Joe said with a protective gaze.

"Daddy Joe! You know how I feel about that kind of talk in front of the kids," I scolded the old man.

"Just making sure Mr. Herveaux knows his place," Daddy Joe says, giving me a wink and that wonderfully playful smile of his. "You know my rule for hunting, honey child."

"We are only allowed to hunt rogues," Andy interrupted.

"You're not a rogue? Are you Mr. Herveaux?" Daddy Joe asked the big man before him.

"No sir," Alcide answered.

"Good! 'Cuz I don't have to show you my silver blade I keep in this cane," Daddy Joe said with a glint in his eyes.

"I won't have that kind of behavior, Daddy Joe," I said.

"Can't an old man have his fun? Don't meet many werewolves running the shack. How I miss the good 'ole days," Daddy Joe says playfully. Alcide smiles. Daddy Joe looks up at him with a serious face. "Don't hurt my pup or honey child in any way or I'll hurt you."

"I have no intentions, sir," Alcide answered respectfully.

"Good! With that said; I'm hungry and the little lady looks like she has slaved to bring us this good meal. Let's discuss my pup's first hunting experience," Daddy Joe then said.