"Oh, my god!" Roxie looked on with amazement as her brother strolled through the door of Enid's. "What are you doing here? I thought you and Helene were at some witch retreat thingy. She let you out from under her heel? That's so impressive!"

"And you're holding onto a baby while standing behind a bar," Adrian said to his sister. "That's impressive too. I thought you liked Helene."

Roxie nodded and put Addie down. She just sat on the floor, staring up at Roxie, but not moving. "I do like Helene," Roxie said. "But I don't understand why she had to take you with her in the first place."

"You know what? Me neither!" Adrian exclaimed. "She told me we were gonna have all this time together and we had it, but then you know what? She went and got pregnant again after we specifically decided that wasn't gonna happen."

"You can't blame her entirely," Roxie pointed out. "It's not like she can get pregnant all by herself. Would it have hurt you all that much to take a few condoms with you?"

"I did!" Adrian said. "I'm not stupid! But then I got tricked into taking some love potion by this crazy woman who wanted Helene to marry her son and suddenly condoms weren't important anymore!"

"If the woman wanted Helene to marry her son, why did you get the love potion?" Roxie asked. "I'm confused." She felt a tug on her pants and looked down at Addie. "What's up?" She asked. "Are you hungry?" She went and got some crackers out from behind the bar, opened them and handed them down to her daughter, then picked her up so she was standing. As Addie began chewing on the crackers, she sauntered away in the direction of Enid's office.

"Wow," Adrian said in surprise. "You're actually a competent parent. That surprises me, Roxie. But just one thing. Don't you have another kid too? Where's he?"

"Shhh!" Roxie put her finger to her lips. "He's with Vince. But we're not really supposed to talk about him around here because it might get Enid in trouble if the wrong person hears."

"Oh," Adrian nodded. "I get that. Never mind, then."

"So, what does one get to drink after one spends what seems like an eternity getting picked apart by a bunch of judgmental old witches?" Roxie asked her brother.

Adrian shook his head. "It doesn't really matter," he said. "Surprise me and make it big!"

Just then, Klaus came into the main barroom carrying Addie. "Do you realize she was wandering around aimlessly?" He asked Roxie. "Do you let her wander off often?"

"No!" Roxie said defensively. "I knew exactly where she was. She's fine! I bet I can ask Enid and she'll tell me a gazillion stories about how you let me do the same thing while you were here, so don't you judge me!"

"Well, all right!" Klaus said. "I just wanted to make sure you were aware of where she was so you didn't lose her."

"I wouldn't lose her," Roxie said firmly. "I'm perfectly capable of raising my own kid, thank you."

"You know," Adrian said, looking at Klaus. "I think we should believe her. If her kids lived through their first two years, they're probably all right."

"I suppose," Klaus answered. "Your mother wasn't particularly overattentive about the two of you either, and you turned out fine." He paused. "You got back early. Where's Helene?"

"She's not here," Adrian answered. "She's still back amongst her people. I elected to leave."

"Helene's pregnant," Roxie supplied. "And he's having trouble dealing with that information."

Klaus grinned and clapped Adrian on the back. "Well, congratulations!" He said. "I can't wait to see what this new child will be like. If Lenora's any clue, they'll probably be extraordinary."

"Yeah," Adrian said morosely. "They would be if Helene would let me do anything with them, which she won't! Did you know that Lenora has next to no idea what she can do as a vampire? Helene won't even let me show her because she says it would 'scar her for life'." He rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'd take Lenora out to kill things or anything like that, but she doesn't even care. She just keeps on learning witchcraft and I always get to be the guinea pig. You wouldn't believe the stuff I've been turned into over the years. It's indecent. It's undignified. I shouldn't have to put up with that, should I?"

"Has she ever let Lenora turn you into a goat?" Roxie wanted to know. "Have you ever had to be chained up in a yard during a rainstorm?"

"No," Adrian said. "I haven't."

"Well, I have," Roxie told him. "So I win."

"You deserved that, though," Adrian said. "You were being irritating. They're just using me for sport! I need to reclaim my dignity. And I can't do that if I'm with Helene. End of story."

"What?" Roxie asked, looking amazed. "You're abandoning your wife when she's pregnant? What a dick!"

"I'm just making it easy for her," Adrian shrugged. "She wants to raise the kid all by herself, so I'll make that possible. I bet she'll thank me."

Roxie made Adrian up a large mug of something. He held out his hand for it, but she held it away. "Have you been drinking already?" She asked. "Maybe you shouldn't have this."

"What would make you think I've been drinking already?" Adrian asked. "I'm fine!"

"You're talking about abandoning your kid!" Roxie pointed out. "I know you're overwhelmed right now, but you can't be serious about that."

"Oh, I am," Adrian nodded. "Both of us get what we want: she gets to raise a kid her way and I get the privilege of not worrying about it. Sounds good to me."

"What are you gonna do in the meantime?" Roxie asked. "Are you gonna move out? Where are you gonna go?"

"I don't know at the moment," Adrian said. "But I have no doubt that it won't be hard for me to find a place."

"Be serious, son," Klaus told him. "I understand you and Helene might be having some difficulties, but are they really enough for you to just throw everything away?"

"Tell me something, Dad," Adrian asked. "You've had Alistair around for a long time, right? Has he ever been such a pain in the ass that you've wanted to just get rid of him? Did he ever just nag and nag and nag and tell you that you had to do this thing and that thing and that you had no choice in it whatsoever?"

"No," Klaus shook his head. "Not really. At the beginning of our association, he did whatever I told him to do, and then as the years piled on, things became more relaxed between us and I let him have more freedom. He became less like my slave, which was his original purpose, thanks to that little crime he committed against the leader of his clan, and more like my-my-"

"Secretary/nanny/friend?" Roxie supplied. "Is that how you'd describe him?"

Klaus nodded. "Close enough."

"I wish Helene were more like Alistair," Adrian said. "Instead of a nice guy who's actually helpful, I get a sneaky, manipulative opportunist. Just my luck, right? Why can't I just be with a person who cares about me and lets me do what I want?"

Just then, they heard sobbing as the door of the bar burst open and a blonde in jeans and a brown sweater approached the bar, tears streaming down her face. She sat down on a bar stool near Adrian and he said "Roxie, why don't you give me what you're holding there and get something for Tessa. She looks like she needs it."

"Oh, thanks," Tessa sniffled, pushing her blonde hair out of her eyes. "Thank you, Adrian. I really do need something."

"Why?" He asked her. "What happened? You're not hurt or in trouble, are you?"

"No," she shook her head. "My boyfriend and I just broke up. It came completely out of nowhere. He was seeing another woman behind my back and he-" She burst into fresh sobs and threw herself in Adrian's arms. Her crying made Addie start sobbing too and as Roxie made her way around the bar, Klaus stood up. "No worries, Roxanne. I'll take care of her. You can stay."

"Thanks, but there are a million other places I'd rather be," Roxie told him. Just then, her cell phone rang. "Oh, would you look at that!" She said. "I have to go answer my phone. What a lucky break." As Klaus carried Addie off, Roxie went into another room, far away from Tessa's sobbing. "Hello? And please tell me you have lots to say because I have no desire to go back to the bar any time quick."

"Have you seen my sister?" Vince asked. "Is she at the bar? That jackass boyfriend of hers broke up with her and she's not taking it well."

"Yeah, she's here," Roxie assured him. "And she's currently sobbing into my brother Adrian's shoulder."

"I thought he was with Helene," Vince said. "What happened between them?"

"Oh, nothing," Roxie assured her husband. "Helene's just pregnant again and Adrian's a little overwhelmed so they're taking time apart. They'll come to their senses eventually."

"Are you worried about Tessa and Adrian?" Vince asked. "I know she's not your favorite person in the world."

"I can't say I'm happy," Roxie told him. "She's totally taking advantage of him at a vulnerable moment!"

"Does she even know what's going on with your brother?" Vince asked. "You can't say she's taking advantage of a vulnerable moment if she has no idea what she's supposed to be taking advantage of."

Roxie sighed. "No, I don't think she knows." An idea suddenly popped up in Roxie's mind. "When Helene comes back, let's tell her what's going on between Tessa and Adrian. I bet she'll get so mad she'll break them up and then she and Adrian will get back together!"

"No," Vince said immediately. "Roxie, just leave them alone, okay? If being with my sister is what your brother needs right now, then that's that. It's none of your business even if it makes you unhappy."

"How can you say that?" Roxie demanded. "How can you pick your sister's feelings over mine?!"

"You'll never guess what," Vince said. "Joey wants to talk to you!" Roxie rolled her eyes as she listened to her son's babble and tried to be amused by it.

"He's really coming along considering," Vince said when he finally got back on the line after what seemed like a million years. "Isn't he?"

"I guess," Roxie said noncommittally. "But you're incredibly transparent, you know. And may I say it is incredibly rude to ignore me while I'm talking to you."

"Well, then, I'm about to be really, really rude and hang up on you," Vince told her. "Cause I don't want to talk to you while you're being so irritating. If you actually come up with something pleasant to say that has nothing to do with your brother, my sister, or both, feel free to call me back. If not-" Suddenly, the line went dead. "Vince?" Roxie yelled, taking the phone away from her ear. "You better not have hung up on me, or you are gonna hear about it when I get home!" But there was no response. She let out a growl and threw her phone down hard on the floor. It broke into several pieces.

"Well great," Roxie sighed as she picked them up. "This day just gets better and better."

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Alistair asked when Helene opened her front door and saw him on the front step. "Anything at all?"

"No," Helene shook her head. "I'm fine. You go on and do what you need to do."

"Your mother called," Alistair told her as he came in and sat down on the sofa. "She said you and Adrian had a fight. What was it about? Is he here? Do you need me to talk to him for you?"

"I'm pregnant and he's upset about it," Helene confessed. "He accused me of tricking him into having another baby and not caring about his feelings. He also basically said that I'm a control freak who doesn't let him have equal time with Lenora. He left on his own and now I have no idea where he is. Maybe it's better that way."

"First off," Alistair said, coming to put an arm around her, "congratulations. Second, what would make him say something like that? He's usually so even tempered. Did you trick him?"

"No!" Helene shook her head. "Didn't mom tell you that we were given a love potion? I didn't plan that!" When she said this last sentence, her voice was loud and defensive.

"All right, all right," Alistair said. "You can calm down now. I understand. Did he give you any clues as to why he's so angry?"

"Well, he claimed that I 'hijacked' Lenora's personality so that she knows next to nothing about her vampire side, and had no respect for his wishes to only have one kid since they were so complex. I mean, sure we agreed to have one kid only, but Lenora's older now and I decided I wanted another one."

"Did Adrian agree with this?" Alistair asked her. "Did you even ask him?"

"Well, what other choice do we have?" Helene asked. "I refuse to abort the kid and it's not like we can just send it to an orphanage. It's too special for that. I know I probably should have talked to Adrian before making any decision about keeping the baby, but he was nervous about Lenora at first and grew to love her a whole lot. Who's to say the same thing won't happen with the other kid? Once he sees it, he'll love it. I just have to get him back here." She paused. "What do you think is the best way to do that?"

"I think you should leave him alone for now," Alistair told her. "Let him come back when he's ready. It's the least you can do after disregarding his feelings the way you did."

"So you're saying I should just allow him to abandon his child because he's throwing a temper tantrum?" Helene asked, feeling shocked. "Daddy, I thought you had more sense than that."

"It's not my sense that is suggesting this to you, but my life experience," Alistair said. "Lest you forget, Adrian is the son of a man with a very short fuse. Adrian's fuse is a bit longer, but will still blow up if you light it. Being around Klaus has taught me one thing: when he's angry, you leave him alone, let him get over it, get drunk, do whatever he needs to do, and then he'll come back and it will be like nothing has happened. Can you do that?"

"I guess if it's the only option," Helene nodded. "I have no choice, do I? By the way, have you seen Lenora? She's not at Lucy's."

"I was just on my way to get her," Alistair said. "I know where she is. Don't worry."

"When you find her, bring her straight back here, will you?"

"Of course," Alistair nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, dear..." He got up and Helene walked with him to the door. She gave him one last hug goodbye and he left, shutting the door behind him. Helene watched him go, then went back to sit on the sofa, flipping idly through the TV channels.

"Oh, Damon, you're never gonna believe this!" Louisa shouted as she came running into his and Lenora's room at the inn.

"What is it?" Damon asked.

Louisa looked between him and Lenora and said in loud whisper, "I think we should send the child away. What I'm about to tell you might be too much for her delicate ears to hear."

"Oh, I'll be all right," Lenora said. "What is it?"

But Louisa just looked at her and wouldn't say a word. Damon rolled his eyes. "Lenora, go into the bedroom, please. I'll tell you when you can come out."

Lenora just sighed, rolled her eyes, and stomped off to the bedroom. "All right," Damon said to Louisa. "She's gone. What is it?"

Louisa, eyes big, handed Damon that day's paper. "It's on the front page," she said, moving one of her red curls out of her eyes.

Damon looked and almost immediately saw what she was talking about. It was an article about a man who claimed to have been bitten by a vampire."

"Dr. Stensrund is trying to keep it quiet," Louisa whispered. "But it got out somehow, and now everyone's in a terrible panic."

"What happened to the man?" Damon asked Louisa. "Is he still alive?"

"Yes," Louisa nodded. "But they've carted him away to an asylum a few towns over. Doctor Stensrund didn't think there was any chance he'd recover."

"Well, isn't that unfortunate?" Damon observed. "Is that all you came to tell me? Or has my father commanded we go out again?"

"No," Louisa shook her head. "That's all I came to tell you. You can let your daughter out of the bedroom now." She got up and made her way to the door. "Goodbye, Damon. And you be safe now."

"Goodbye, Louisa," Damon returned. "We will." He went to let Lenora out of the bedroom and asked, "Did you hear what she told me?"

"No," Lenora shook her head. "What?"

"Apparently, your compulsion wasn't strong enough and the man you took a bite out of went into town and told everyone he was attacked by a vampire."

Lenora looked at him for a moment and then burst into tears. "I'm sorry!" She sobbed. "I didn't mean to! I did the best I could!"

"I know," Damon said, taking her in his arms. "Sweetie, I believe you. You're just inexperienced. It's not your fault. But I think it would be best if we got out of here and fast."

"I would agree with that," Alistair called. "You've been here far too long already. Let's go, shall we?"

"Yes," Damon nodded, still keeping a hold on Lenora. "Let's go. You could not have come at a better time." They followed Alistair and then a flash of light sent them back to the present and a random street corner with Alistair's car parked nearby. "Where do I go now?" Lenora asked. "Back to Aunt Lucy's?"

"No," Alistair said. "Your mother's back now. You'll go stay with her."

"Where's Daddy?" Lenora asked.

Alistair shrugged. "I don't know. He'll be back eventually, though."

"All right," Lenora said, looking disappointed. "Goodbye, Damon." She gave him a hug and then reluctantly took hold of Alistair's hand as they walked to the car and drove away.

"Hi, Lenora!" Helene said brightly when she saw her daughter.

"Hi, Mommy," Lenora said flatly. "Where's Daddy?"

"He's not here," Helene said. "But I brought you something better than your father. I brought you a kitty!" She struggled to hold up a grumpy-looking, overweight black cat. "See?"

Lenora stared at it without a word and then left to go to her room. Sighing, Helene let the cat go and it followed Lenora.

"You gave it a good try," Alistair said to Helene. "Unfortunately, cats aren't worth the same to Lenora as her father."

"Well, what am I supposed to tell her about that?" Helene asked. "That her father has abandoned her for life of meaningless frivolity?"

"No," Alistair shook his head. "Tell her the truth, but just bend it a little. I know you can do it. Go ahead. Best not to wait concerning things like this."

Helene nodded and walked to Lenora's room. She knocked on the door and Lenora said she could come in.

"You asked me where your daddy is," Helene told her. "Well, he's not here. And he probably won't be here for quite awhile."

"Why?" Lenora asked.

"Well," Helene told her, "I just found out that I'm gonna have another baby. I told your daddy and he felt overwhelmed, so he's taking a little vacation. You didn't do anything wrong, I promise and I'll make sure that he writes you or talks to you to tell you how he's doing."

Lenora nodded. "Okay. But I'm gonna miss him." As she put her head on Helene's shoulder, a tear ran down the latter's cheek. "You know what, sweetie?" She said. "Me too."

"Oh, my god!" Tessa giggled as she and Adrian managed to make their way into the hotel room that night despite the fact that their arms were wrapped around each other. "What is this? Our fourth bottle of wine?"

"I don't know," Adrian laughed. "But there's more where that came from! I can get it easy!" They pulled apart and Tessa produced a bottle of wine from a bag over her shoulder. They popped it open and, passing it back and forth between each other, managed to finish it. They then put the bottle in the waistbasket and proceeded to pull off each other's clothes, falling naked on to the bed. As they made love, Adrian's cell phone, which was in his jacket pocket, began ringing insistently.

"Maybe you should answer that," Tessa said, then groaned as he kissed down her neck.

"No," Adrian shook his head. "I won't bother. I bet whoever it is will hang up in a few seconds." But the phone kept ringing. Finally, Adrian got off Tessa and went and threw the phone in the toilet without checking to see who was calling. He then returned to Tessa and they resumed their activities with more enthusiasm then before.

As the dial tone on the other end of the line went dead, Lenora took the phone away from her ear and brought it back to her mother. "Did you talk to your daddy?" Helene asked.

"No," Lenora said, her lip jutting out as she sat next to Helene on the sofa and put her arms around her. "I let it ring and ring, but he wouldn't answer."