"I have to say that I'm skeptical about my brother Kol becoming a parent," Elijah told Selina. "He's never been particularly responsible for his own life. Imagine what he'd do to a child."

"Well, not everyone is tailor made to be a parent, but sometimes, people surprise us. I mean, think about Roxanne," Selina replied. "Joey and Addie have come out reasonably well after being parented by her."

Elijah scoffed. "Kol makes Roxanne look like an angel. I just don't see him being able to put the welfare of his child over his own. We'll probably have to end up taking care of it."

"You shouldn't be bothered by that," Selina replied. "You've been wanting another baby for years, and there one would be for you."

"I wouldn't want one that way," Elijah replied.

Just then, the doorbell rang and Elijah went to answer it, shocked to see Kol looking frazzled on the other side. "Can I come in?" He asked.

"Of course," Elijah replied. "Please do."

Kol headed to Elijah's chair and Selina said warningly, "Don't sit there. That's Elijah's special chair."

"All right," Kol replied and sat down on the sofa. "I need to talk to you," he told Elijah.

"About what?" Elijah asked. "Your child? Have you and that girl you got pregnant decided that you don't want her anymore, so you want to give her to us?"

"No," Kol replied. "We're gonna keep her. But because of a bizarre series of events that are somewhat my fault, Margot is human now, and according to her doctor, giving birth to my baby will kill her. She wants me to turn her, and I'm terrified."

"Real-really?" Elijah asked, surprised that his party boy younger brother seemed genuinely concerned for the life of his girlfriend. "And what about the baby? Are you frightened for your child too, or just its mother?"

"Don't grill him like that!" Selina scolded Elijah as she came to sit next to Kol and take his hand. "Can't you see he's freaked out enough already, and doesn't need to be scolded?"

"Thank you," Kol told her, and then looked his brother in the eye. "And for your information," he said, "Yes. I am scared as hell for my daughter. I was the one who wanted her more to start with. Margot was gonna end the pregnancy without telling me about it cause she thought I wouldn't like it, but she was wrong."

"Oh, my god," Elijah replied. "You're really serious."

"Yes," Kol replied. "I am. So since you consider yourself a fountain of wisdom, what do you suggest I do?"

"Well, first, I apologize for being so suspect of your feelings," Elijah said. "And if you love this woman and want to keep her around when her doctor is very certain she's going to die, I think turning her into a vampire is the only option." He paused. "You know, I never thought I'd see you fighting so hard for the life of a human."

"She wasn't always a human," Kol told Elijah. "When I met her, she was a witch. It was being in a relationship with me that got her cursed so she ended up losing her powers just as she got pregnant."

"Why would being with you curse her?" Elijah asked.

"None of your business is why," Kol replied, not wanting to hear Elijah give him a lecture about his less than kind treatment of Mathilde, and what that led to. He knew that already.

"Do you have plans for when your baby is born?" Selina asked. "Cause I can call Alistair and Astrid for you. They're really good at this sort of thing."

"Thanks," Kol replied. "But Margot already has a doctor and he's gonna deliver our baby."

"Oh?" Elijah asked. "And just who is this doctor?"

"Doctor Putnam," Kol replied. "He's a warlock at a witch hospital."

"Are you sure it's the best idea to have a vampire baby be delivered at witch hospital?" Elijah asked.

"If it were your baby, or the baby of any of our other siblings, yes, delivery at a witch hospital would be a bad idea," Kol replied. "But I have good enough standing in the witch community that Doctor Putnam is gonna deliver our baby there despite the fact that I'm not a warlock. Or at home, if there's no time to get to a hospital because Margot is having complications."

"You're very brave for granting her wish to have the baby and then turning her," Selina told him.

"Yeah," Kol nodded. "When she dies, even though I know it won't be forever, it's gonna be so hard."

They sat in silence and Elijah said, "If you want me to be there with you, you know, for moral support, just say the word and I'll come."

"Thanks," Kol replied. "I might have to take you up on that." He gave a sad smile. "Now you know why I've spent so much of my life trying to live as shallowly as possible: cause when you care about people, it hurts."

"Or it can be the best thing in the world if you find it in yourself to get through the bad parts," Selina replied.

"Was that hard for you?" Kol asked her. "Getting through the bad parts?"

"Yeah," Selina replied, leaning against Elijah. "The most difficult period of my life, probably. But even though it took awhile, I found someone I trusted and just finally let the feelings in. Best decision I ever made."

"Well, if you can do it, Lonely Heart," Kol told her. "I think I'll at least give it a try."

"Feeling better?" Elijah asked.

"Yeah," Kol replied with a grin. "Some, anyway."

"Good," Elijah replied. "And remember, if you want us to be there when Margot goes into labor, just give us a call."

"All right," Kol replied. "It won't be for awhile yet, but a few months from now, wait by the phone."

"Don't worry, brother," Elijah said. "We will."

"I was surprised to get your call," Gregory told Edward when he came in his house, with Elizabeth toddling behind him, her small hand in his bigger one. "And curious. What is it that I can do for you?"

"Well, you could definitely be of help to me," Edward told his brother-in-law. "Does Katherine have any strange things that she does with Elizabeth? You know, things that aren't exactly the best things to do for a child?"

"Well," Gregory cleared his throat and thought for a moment. "One day, I left her and Elizabeth alone and came home later to find that she had allowed Elizabeth to wear makeup even though she's just a baby. It was a complete and utter mess. Why? What has my sister done?"

"Well," Edward sighed. "It's a small thing, and it's not really putting Charlie in any sort of danger, but...she enjoys giving him tattoos on his body. Yes, they go away in water, but still..." He gave a small shudder.

"Well, I hate to tell you this," Gregory replied. "But I don't think you'll be able to change Laura's mind about this. You've already told her that it bothers you, correct?"

"Yes," Edward sighed. "And she pointed out that as long as it doesn't hurt him, she doesn't see why I'm so concerned. She says it makes me snooty to be so critical. Can you believe that? Snooty! Me!"

"Coming from my sister?" Gregory replied. "Yes, I can."

"What are we talking about?" Laura asked as she came in with Charlie. "Are you really stooping so low as to complain to my brother about me?" She asked Edward and rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't complaining," Edward replied. "I was illustrating the differences in our parenting styles."

"And you still think yours is better despite the fact that he's not died or anything like that under my supervision," Laura said.

"Hi, baby," Elizabeth said, leaving her father's side and coming to stare at Charlie. Charlie gurgled and smiled at her.

"I think he missed you," Laura told Elizabeth. "Want to come to his room with me and help me play with him?"

Elizabeth nodded and followed her out of the room while Laura said over her shoulder to Edward and Gregory, "You two can continue complaining about me now."

Once she was gone, Edward ran his fingers through his hair and said, "Well, now I feel terrible." He paused. "I know I need to back off worrying, but part of me just can't!"

Gregory nodded sympathetically. "I feel the same way with Katherine," he said. "Some of the things she lets Elizabeth get into are sort of alarming. I mean, when we adopted her, I expected to be the one to do most of Elizabeth's care because Katherine wasn't the motherly type. But she's risen to the occasion, and some days I wonder if it's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Well, whatever Katherine does with her, it doesn't seem to have affected her too negatively," Edward said. "Not if Charlie has taken such a liking to her."

"Do you think we should just, you know, relax?" Gregory asked Edward. "Or at the very least. try?"

"I think so," Edward nodded. "But it'll be difficult. I see Charlie with marker all over him and even though I know it'll come off, I just..."

"Keep telling yourself that it'll come off," Gregory suggested. "Whenever you see the stuff Laura draws, just take a deep breath and tell yourself that it washes off."

"Okay," Edward nodded. "I don't know what sort of sage advice to give you about Katherine, though."

"I don't need advice any more," Gregory replied. "I just tell myself that even with Katherine's influence, Elizabeth still seems to be growing up well, so that's what I hold on to every time she does something nutty. It actually helps a lot."

"Well, good," Edward replied. "I'll try and think of the same thing about Charlie when it comes to Laura. Thanks a lot."

And Gregory grinned. "You're welcome," he replied. "If my father could depend on my mother to help him raise six kids in her own unique style, then I think we can."

"Good point," Edward nodded. "Good point."

Margaret frowned as she lugged the bag of valentines out of her locker. "What's wrong with you?" Henry asked.

"I don't want to give everyone in class valentines!" She grouched. "I don't even like a lot of them! The only people who deserve valentines from me are you, Tristan, and Emily. Everyone else, no."

"You'd give a valentine to Emily?" Henry asked in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah," Margaret nodded. "But only because Tristan would probably tell on me to Mommy if I didn't."

"Well, good for you," Henry replied and hid his hand behind his locker before magically producing a flower, which he gave to Margaret. "There's your valentine from me," he said.

"Thank you," Margaret replied. "I thought only grown ups gave each other flowers."

"If you don't want it, I can take it back," Henry replied, reaching.

"No!" Margaret shook her head and held her arm away. "I want it. Didn't you hear me say 'Thank you'?" She paused and then rummaged around in her locker before pulling out a card that said "Happy Valentine's day, Henry," on it. "It's no flower," She said shyly. "But do you like it?" She came to stand next to him. "See? I made a boat on it, and you and me are in the boat."

"I see!" Henry said. "This is the best out of all my valentines." Just then, another little girl in their class who'd taken a liking to Henry came up to him and handed him a card. "This is for you," she said. "I want you to have it before everyone else gets theirs."

"Well, thank you," Henry replied, sort of flustered, trying to hold Margaret back from so much as breathing on the girl.

"You're welcome," she said and walked away.

"What was that?" Margaret asked. "Why did she give you that?"

"Everyone has to get one from everyone," Henry replied. "That's all it is."

"No, it's not!" Margaret said insistently. "She likes you!" She snatched the little girl's valentine out of Henry's hand, ripped it up, stomped on it, and spit on the pieces. "There," she said. "Now I feel better."

Henry sighed. He was used to her doing stuff like that by now, and he'd learned not to make too big a deal out of it. "Are you done?" He asked.

"Yes," Margaret nodded, and then looked at the clock. "We should get to class now!"

"All right," Henry replied, and grabbed his valentines. "Do you want me to carry yours?" He asked her.

"Yes, pleas and thank you," Margaret replied. They walked into class together, and then once they were seated, their teacher came to the head of the room. "All right," she said. "As you all know, it's Valentine's day, and if you brought valentines, you may hand them out now. However, you won't be allowed to look at your valentines until the party at the end of the day. Now, let the valentine-giving commence!"

Everyone in the class stood up from their chairs and began putting valentines in the little boxes they'd made the day before specifically for that purpose. Worried that Margaret would destroy all his valentines like she had with the first one, Henry put a spell on his box once all his valentines were in it so that he was the only one who could open it again, and when Margaret noticed this, she showed her displeasure at recess.

"You didn't have to magic your box shut, Henry," she told him, irritated.

"Yes, I did," Henry replied. "So you wouldn't ruin the other valentines like you did the first one."

"I would not!" Margaret replied.

"Yes, you would," Henry replied. "Don't even lie."

"I wonder what Emily's valentine for you says," Margaret mused.

"Why?" Henry asked. "You think she's gonna give me a valentine that deserves to be squished and spat on too?"

"No!" Margaret shook her head. "I was just wondering what it says." She paused. "And I'm sorry I squished your valentine and ripped it into pieces and stuff. That wasn't nice of me."

"No, it wasn't," Henry said firmly.

"But you still like mine, right?" Margaret asked.

"Well, yes!" Henry nodded. "I told you that! It's the best one!"

"Okay," Margaret nodded. "I won't squish any more of your valentines."

Henry didn't believe her at first, but when it came time for the party, she stayed away from his box of cards, and let him read them without bothering him about it, so he decided to get her a cupcake from the treat table as a reward.

"Thank you for the cupcake," she said when he brought it to her. "What's it for?"

"Cause you were nice about the letters like you said, and it's what my mommy does with my daddy," Henry told her. "Encourages him when he does good things. I want to do that for you."

"All right," Margaret replied and gave him a hug. "I'll try and be good, then."