"So, how was it?" Katherine asked. "Are you ever going to tell me?"

"How was what?" Gregory asked.

"You know, killing people," Katherine elaborated. "Did you like it as much as you did in the past?"

"Not while I was in my right mind I didn't, no." Gregory shook his head. "I've never been so shocked as when I saw Father kill. It affirmed to me that he really is Grandfather's son and that's something I never thought I'd see."

"Do you think you'll want to do it again someday?" Katherine asked. "Maybe...with me?"

"You heard what Grandfather said," Gregory told her. "Even just one more round of shenanigans and it's the end of the road for me. I've had my turn and I'm done. I'm not gonna do it anymore. From now on, all my life is gonna be is you, Elizabeth, and the girls at the shelter." He paused. "Now onto a completely different subject: How were things with Elizabeth? Did you do all right?"

"Yes," Katherine sighed. "If you're wondering why your mother and I came at the same time, it was because I stayed at your parents' house. Not because I planned to dump Elizabeth there," she said, noticing Gregory's frown. "But because I wanted the company. Granted, Laura wasn't happy to see me, but then again, she never is. And I didn't see a lot of the triplets. But your mom and I reached a truce and no blood was shed."

"Did she try and nag you about Elizabeth?" Gregory asked. "Did you have to be firm about taking care of her by yourself?"

"Yes," Katherine nodded. "Yes, I did. i made up a schedule for her and everything, but your mother tried to deviate from it several times. She seemed to have this idea that since she's had eleven kids over the years and I've never even raised one, her ideas were more valid than mine, but I stayed firm and eventually, she let me have my way and left me alone."

"I want to thank you," Gregory told her. "I wasn't sure how you would handle Elizabeth on your own, but it seems like you did well, and I'm grateful. And not only did you do well with Elizabeth, but you managed to get along well with my mother which, I know given the history you two have, is a bit difficult."

"It wasn't a problem, really," Katherine replied. "I mean, I admit it was difficult some days, but I managed." She paused. "Elizabeth seemed really happy to see you again."

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "She did. I missed her too. Well, when I was in my right mind, I mean. Father wants to see her. Maybe we should set up a time for him to come over."

"Do you think he'll scold you for having a human child?" Katherine asked.

Gregory shrugged. "I can't see why he would. He might warn me about the difficulties of raising a human child when I'm a vampire myself, but I don't see him being mad about it."

"All right," Katherine nodded. "Let's invite him. We might as well get it over with as soon as possible."

"You're nervous?" Gregory asked her. "I promise he won't be angry. And you already proved that you're as dedicated to me as I am to you, so Father won't be mad about that either."

"It's not that," Katherine said. "I mean, it's one thing that your mother and I used to dislike each other with a passion and that I may or may not be responsible for screwing up her entire life, but I used to be in a relationship with your dad, and now he's my father-in-law, so it's a little weird, us getting together. I still don't know how to act."

"Just be nice," Gregory told her. "Be nice and don't piss anyone off, and everything will be all right."

"Are you ever gonna tell me what it was like?" Selina asked that night. "Since I, you know, didn't get to see it at all?"

"What what was like?" Elijah asked. "And would you care to tell me why our bedroom smells like smoke?"

"Um, because I had a few cigarettes okay?" Selina replied. "I got nervous when you didn't answer your phone like you were supposed to, and when I get nervous, I smoke. I figured that would be the safest stress buster because you wouldn't want me drinking around the kids."

"How conscientious of you," Elijah said dryly. "Why do you care so much what it was like when I was killing people?"

"Oh, I don't know," Selina replied. "I'm just curious. Why won't you tell me?!"

"Because it might encourage some bad habits from you and that's not what we want anymore, do we?" Elijah asked. "If I tell you how it felt killing people, you'll just want to do it again, and we both know you're done with that sort of behavior."

"That means you liked it!" Selina crowed. "You were killing people and you liked it!"

"Well," Elijah sighed, "Once one loses one's mind and gives in to the beast within, there's really no other choice, is there?"

Selina grinned and reached out to unzip his jeans, a naughty twinkle in her eye. "How about you give in to the beast within right now?" She whispered as she kissed his neck and stroked his crotch. "Cause it feels like it really wants to come out."

Elijah tried to stay serious and resist, but especially after a week without her, he realized resistance was futile. She peeled off his jeans and stroked, licked and sucked on him until he came, then she burst out giggling as he grabbed her and turned over so she was looking up at him with the sparkling blue eyes and naughty smile he missed so much. He pushed up her pajama top and kissed her stomach, his tongue swirling slowly around her belly button, her squeaks of pleasure making him smile. Then he paused and gave her the wickedest grin he could before pushing inside her. She let out a shriek so loud he had to put a hand over her mouth to stifle it so no one would would be woken up.

"Thank you," she said when he moved his hand. She was panting and her eyes were wide. "Wow," she said. "That was just...doing that after a week...it really gets me worked up, you know?"

"Well, good," Elijah nodded. "I hope it does." He played with her hair for a little bit, running the dark, silky strands through his fingers before rolling off her and taking a deep breath.

"So," Selina replied, turning to face him. "When are we gonna go meet Gregory's daughter? And please don't be mad at him. I'm sure he thought it through before he decided to adopt her. If you lecture him, it will ruin the trust the two of you just spent a week rebuilding."

"I won't lecture him," Elijah said. "I will give him a warning, though. That's not the same as lecturing, and he's probably already expecting it, so I don't want to disappoint him."

"All right," Selina sighed. "Do what you want, but I just think that it might be nice to show him that you can get through life without constantly needing to give people advice all the time. You may be a thousand years old, you may have life experience, but that doesn't mean that Gregory necessarily needs your help. Not unless he specifically asks for it, anyway. Do you think you can do that? Not give advice unless he asks you for it?"

Elijah sighed. "Fine," he said. "I'll try."

Selina hugged him. "Good to hear," she replied. "Good to hear." She paused. "And I actually liked going out with Klaus and that woman he's seeing. I think we should do it again sometime."

"Did you call?" Katherine asked Gregory. "Are they coming?"

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "And Father's even promised not to bombard me with advice. I think I can thank my mother for that."

"When are they coming?" Katherine asked.

Gregory looked at his watch and then the doorbell rang. "Right now," he said. "I'll go get the door, you sit in the living room with Elizabeth."

Her jaw dropping a little, Katherine took Elizabeth to the sofa and sat down. A few minutes later, Elijah and Selina came in. Elijah gave Katherine a long look and then turned his attention to the little baby in her lap. "Is that her?" He asked.

"Yeah," Katherine nodded, still holding on tightly to her daughter. "This is Elizabeth."

"And she's human?" Elijah asked.

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "She is. But we'll be able to handle it. We promise."

Elijah sighed. "If you say you can, I believe you," he told Gregory. He reached out. "Can I see her?"

"Okay," Katherine replied, and reluctantly handed her over. Elijah held her in his lap for a few seconds, his body tense, then slowly relaxed and let her lean against him.

"Cute, isn't she?" Selina asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "Just like Margaret and Annaliese." He sighed. "I think I'm grateful for this little one," he said. "She'll give me something to do with myself to make it less difficult to face the fact that Margaret is growing up."

Selina cleared her throat as Elijah cuddled Elizabeth. "This might not be the best time to mention that I'm taking Margaret over to James and Lenora's later 'cause she wants to see Henry. Is that all right?"

"Of course," Elijah replied. "If she wants to live her life, I guess it's not my business to try and stop her, is it? As long as she's not hurting anyone."

"All right," Selina nodded. "I just wanted to make sure you'd be okay with it."

The door opened with a thud and Henry looked up. "I'm home!" Margaret cried. "Thank goodness!"

"This isn't your house," he told her. "You're not home!"

"Yes I am!" Margaret replied. "I like everyone better here than at my house."

"Well, we're glad to have you," Lenora told her. "Is your mother with you, by any chance?"

"No," Margaret shook her head. "She dropped me off at the closet, said goodbye to Astrid, and then left. She says she'll call you tonight though, to ask when she's supposed to come and pick me up." Her mouth twisted at the thought.

"Mommy?" Henry asked. "Is it okay if Margaret stays here tonight? Like a sleepover?"

"If her mother says it's okay, I don't see why not," Lenora replied.

"Who was at the door?" James asked, coming in from outside.

"Margaret's come to visit," Lenora told him. "Isn't that nice?"

"Yes, it certainly is," James smiled. "Hello, Maggie," he said.

"Why did you call me that?" Margaret asked curiously.

"Maggie's a nickname for Margaret," James answered. "You've always seemed more like a Maggie than a Margaret to me."

"I kind of like it," Margaret replied.

Just then, Susanna came toddling in and grabbed Margaret's hand. "See puppy, Maggie," she said and pulled Margaret off to her room to show her Rusty, who had become permanently hers.

"See?" Susanna asked proudly as Rusty came running up to her and she pet his white fur. "Pretty puppy."

"What's his name?" Margaret asked, petting the dog. "Does he have one?"

"Wusty," Susanna replied. "Mama say Wusty."

"'Wusty'?" Margaret asked, her eyebrow knitting. "What sort of name is that?"

"She means Rusty," Henry answered, poking his head in the door. "You didn't know that cause she talks funny, but that's what she means."

"Oh!" Margaret nodded. "Rusty! I get it now. Thank you, Henry."

"You're welcome," Henry replied. "I want to show you something awesome. Come to my room!"

He came and grabbed Margaret's hand and tugged, but when Susanna saw, she frowned and grabbed a piece of Margaret's dress in her small hand and pulled, so in essence both Henry and Susanna were playing tug of war with her as the rope.

"Lenora!" Margaret yelled. "Help!"

"What?" Lenora asked, running into Susanna's room. "What's going on?"

"Susanna is hogging Margaret," Henry said irritably. "She showed her her stupid dog and now it's my turn!"

"Okay," Lenora said, taking a deep breath. "Everyone let go of Margaret."

Resentfully, Henry let go, but Susanna still kept hold. Lenora had to pry her fingers off Margaret's dress. "Now," Lenora continued. "Margaret, what would you like to do?"

Margaret cleared her throat. "I think I'll go with Henry," she said.

"Yay!" Henry cried. "I win!"

"If he starts trouble, you just give me a call," Lenora told Margaret."

"I wouldn't!" Henry cried, looking offended. "I'm a nice boy!"

Lenora smirked. "Your daddy says that all the time and thank goodness it's not true." She then noticed Susanna was beginning to tear up.

"Come here," she said, picking her up in one arm and Rusty in another. "Let's go get some cake from the kitchen, okay?" They strode off, leaving Margaret and Henry alone. "So what's this really awesome thing?" Margaret asked.

"I'll show you," Henry replied. He led her to his room and to Margaret's surprise, a tea set not unlike her own was sitting on the floor. "Are we having a tea party?" She asked. "Why are we having a tea party?"

"Just sit down," Henry told her. "And I'll show you." She sat down, and Henry placed a cup in front of her, then picked up the teapot. "What would you like to drink?" He asked. "You can have whatever you want."

"Chocolate milk," Margaret replied. Henry nodded and tipped the teapot toward the cup. Margaret let out a gasp as real chocolate milk poured out. Then he pulled it away. "What will I have?" He asked himself. "Apple juice, I think." He tipped the teapot and this time apple juice fell into his glass.

"How did you do that?" Margaret asked. "You poured chocolate milk in my cup!"

"It's a secret!" Henry told her. "And if you stay over tonight, I'll tell you it."

Margaret stared at him a few seconds, then turned her head toward the open door. "Lenora!" She called. "When my mommy calls, tell her I want to spend the night!"