"Why did you bring me here?" Sarah demanded, holding Ellie so that she didn't have to look at any of the scary men that surrounded them. "What was the point? Why did you trick me? I'm not a demon or anything. And if this is really your idea of a date…someone needs to teach you how to treat women!"

Josh paused and stepped back, thinking about what he would tell her. She was right that he had no reason to wish her ill…at least he thought he didn't now that she'd pointed it out. He'd never planned on killing her. She wasn't connected to his brother, or…wait. "That's a good question," he remarked and then turned to one of his cronies. "Why did we bring her here again? Cause she's right when she says she's not a demon or anyone I should wish ill."

"Yes, but her sister is Dorian's wife!" Tom reminded him, wondering how Josh had gotten to be the head of the operation when they were all so much smarter than he was. "Imagine what you could do with that! Knowing that you have the present queen's sister as a hostage! You could get her to step down or else you'll kill her sister. You could hold her for a hefty ransom. We all could use the money."

"Isn't that a bit wasteful?" Josh asked. "To go to all that trouble to bring her here only to throw her away after we get what we want? Surely there can be some other use for her." He thought a moment as the men groaned, and locked eyes with Sarah. "How about we just do what we said we were gonna do? You come with me to meet my father and we'll tell him you're my girlfriend. He might actually like me then?"

"And what would happen if I told you I would rather be ripped apart by demons?" Sarah spat.

"Would you really?" Josh questioned. "That would mean that little Ellie would be without a mother, wouldn't she? I don't think what I'm asking is so difficult."

"You're going to leave Ellie alone," Sarah said firmly. "If I do this for you, she won't be involved anymore."

"Of course not," Josh shook his head. "I don't know what I'd be able to do with a child her age, anyway."

"All right," Sarah sighed. "I'll play your stupid game, even though I don't know why you're doing it and I think you're being absolutely silly. But you have to let me go. You have to let me out so I can take Ellie home. It's probably past her bedtime by now."

Josh sighed. "Oh, all right. This was supposed to be a kidnapping. I was planning on keeping you here for days. But since we have this new plan which will probably be more effective in the long run. But first, before I let you go, you have to promise to come with me and see my father. Do you promise?"

"Yes, I promise," Sarah nodded, reaching out to take his hand. "I promise that I will come with you and see your father and whatever else you want me to do. Just please…let me go!"

"All right," Josh nodded. "Come on." He led her and Ellie to his car and drove her home, parking down the street from Matthew and Christine's house cause he couldn't bring himself to face her father after what he'd done.

"Thank you for doing this," Sarah told him. "For not going through with hurting me or Ellie."

"You're welcome," Josh sighed. "It's more evidence of my failure as a demon. At least that's what my father would say."

"Well, we'll change his mind about you," Sarah told him, stunned that she was talking so gently and kindly to a man who had just kidnapped her and her daughter and had been planning to hold them for ransom. "I promise. Would you like me to write down my phone number so you can call me and tell me when we're going to go see your father?"

"Okay," Josh replied. "I'm sure I have a pen and paper around here somewhere…" He poked around in his glove compartment and found what he was looking for, then Sarah sat Ellie down on the driveway beside her for a moment, writing down her number and handing it to Josh through the open window. "There you go," she said. "I'll be waiting for your call."

"Good," Josh nodded. "Goodnight, Sarah. And I…I'm sorry about what happened."

"Thank you," Sarah told him and helped her toddler daughter get to her feet so they could walk into the house together. I'm glad to hear that. Goodnight." She then turned and walked with Ellie toward the house, wondering what she would say when her father asked her what had gone on that night.

"How was your date?" Matthew asked when Sarah and Ellie got into the house. He was still awake, just as Sarah had suspected.

"It was great," Sarah replied. She knew that if she'd told him the truth, he would go nuts. "Just a good night. Ellie had a good time too."

Matthew stood up. "And where is the young man? Did he just drop you off without coming in to meet your father? I don't know if I like that."

"You'll meet him eventually, but now it's too early," Sarah told him. "I have to meet his father too, at some point, so I promise you'll get your turn."

"Tell me, just to ease my mind," Matthew said to her, "is he a good young man? Will I approve of him?"

"Well, I should think so," Sarah told him. "After what happened with Junior, don't you think I'd be choosier this time?"

"I hope so," Matthew sighed. "For your own sake and for Ellie's. I think you both need somebody who can give you stability and help ease your burden."

"Oh, it's not really so bad," Sarah told him. "I'm managing just fine."

"You're handling things remarkably," Matthew agreed. "I just wish it didn't have to be that way."

"Yeah," Sarah nodded. "Me neither."

Then Ellie yawned and Matthew kissed them both goodnight so they could go get some rest. Cause there was no denying that after what they'd gone through, they needed it. Not that he would ever know that, though. Cause telling him about what Josh had done, and what she and Josh were going to do, would just worry him when it didn't need to be that way.

The next day, instead of taking Ellie to work with her, Sarah dropped her off at a place where she didn't go very often: Ellie's other grandparents' house. Although she and Junior had parted on very bad terms and she often still resented him for what he'd done, his parents were good people who hadn't done anything wrong and had actually felt bad about their son's actions, wanting so badly to help her and not being shy about saying so.

"Sorry it's been so long since you've seen Ellie," Sarah apologized to Junior's mother, Mary. "I'm gonna try to be better about giving you equal time with my parents."

"Thanks," Mary told her. "I know you might not like coming here or seeing us because we make you think of what our son did, but it's very sweet of you to give us a chance." She took Ellie and led Sarah into their living room, which now had cream-colored walls, blue carpet, and green and blue furniture, along with some wooden tables.

When Ellie was playing with some toys on the living room floor, Mary led Sarah to the kitchen table where a pile of envelopes, surprisingly addressed to Sarah herself, lay in a stack on the counter.

"What are all these?" Sarah asked, picking them up. "And why do you have them if they're addressed to me?"

"We wondered that, which is why they're opened," Mary told her. "I apologize for that, but we had to know. They're…they're from Sean. And each one…each one has a check in it. He's been sending one every month. Started about six months ago, as you can see."

"Wait," Sarah froze for a moment, unbelieving, then got herself to empty one of the envelopes. Wrapped in a brief letter was indeed a five-hundred dollar check. Offer this to Sarah, the brief note the check had been wrapped in said. I don't know if she'll take it, which is why I'm not sending it to her directly, and if she doesn't, that's fine. But I…I want her to know that I realize I need to help her out somehow, so here's how I'm doing it.

"Oh, my god," Sarah got out.

"I know," Mary replied. "And I'm sorry I've had these for so long, but he put a spell on them so that you can deposit them whenever you want if you choose to take them. I know I shouldn't have kept them for so long without telling you, but I just…I didn't know how you would react. I know you're keen on doing things for yourself."

"True, I am," Sarah nodded. "Which is why I got that job and won't take Daddy's money. But I see no problem with taking money that Junior is sending for the care of the child that he fathered. It's nice to see him take some sort of responsibility, even if he never comes back and actually sees his daughter." She paused putting the checks in her purse and smiled at Mary. "Thank you for watching Ellie and for the help you've given me when I've needed it, even though every time you see me, I trash your son, which I know can't be pleasant for you."

"Well, it's not like what you're saying isn't true, and you're entitled to your frustrations," Mary told her. "I just hope things are a bit easier for you now."

"They should be," Sarah smiled, giving Mary a hug and Ellie a kiss, and then leaving the house so she could deposit the checks before she went to work.

"Tell me again why you're making us have this dinner party?" Katherine asked Rodan sometime later. It was finally the day that Josh was going to introduce him to Sarah. "Who's coming? I hope it's not anyone like you who thinks they can make eyes at me. If they do, I'll break their fingers."

"Oh, calm down," Rodan huffed. "It's only my son. And his girlfriend. The first one in a while that he's brought to meet me. I hope he picked someone nice this time. And someone who's smarter than he is. But I don't have much hope."

"Why are you talking about your son like that?" Katherine questioned. "Do you hate him or something?"

"Well, I suppose he's nice enough, but he's of no use to me," Rodan explained. "I mean, I can always count on his brother to help me further my goals, but Josh…no matter how many chances I give him, it never works out."

"Oh," Katherine nodded. "I can't wait to meet him." She wouldn't admit it to Rodan, but she couldn't wait to meet his outcast son. She knew what it felt like to have your parents think you were a screw up, even when you tried your hardest not to be, and she thought that maybe she could help him out.

The tension in the air was palpable as the time of Josh and Sarah's arrival approached. Rodan and Katherine had both dressed up in their best and Rodan was perched on the edge of one of the black leather chairs in the living room and gripping the armrests so hard that his knuckles were white.

"Are you okay?" Katherine asked him as she adjusted the skirt of her purple dress. "What the hell is the matter with you? You're never this tense."

"Well, I have a terrible feeling of foreboding that this evening won't go well," Rodan replied and adjusted his tie.

"Will you lay off your son for two seconds?" Katherine asked. "He might actually make it a good night. Who knows?"

When the doorbell rang, she was the first to jump up and go answer it, although how she could run in those black heels she was wearing was a mystery to Rodan. "Hi, I'm Katherine," he heard her say. "Come in, have a seat."

Despite her warm welcome, Josh came in slowly, his eyes avoiding his father's at first. "Hello, Dad," he said. "Thanks for letting us come over tonight."

"It's no problem," Rodan told him. "And you can look at me, you know. It's not like you'll become stone if we lock eyes." He turned to face Sarah after Josh looked at him. "That's nice. Now, dear, what's your name?"

"I'm Sarah," she shook his hand. "You have a very nice house."

"Thank you," Rodan told her. "I'm actually surprised it looks as good as it does cause I really haven't been here very long. Go ahead and have a seat if you'd like. Can I get either of you a drink?"

"Yes," Josh and Sarah replied at the same time. It had been so long since she'd had a drink that she figured a glass of wine wouldn't hurt.

When he had his beer, she had her wine, and they were all sitting in the living room, Josh was very surprised when the first comment directed at him was a positive one from Katherine.

"That's a very nice suit, Josh," she remarked. "Is it new?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded. "Just bought it yesterday so it's taking some getting used to. I don't wear suits very often, but I thought it might be nice to do so for this little get together."

"Isn't it a nice suit, Rodan?" Katherine asked him pointedly. "Isn't it nice that your son chose to dress up?"

"Yes," Rodan nodded. "He looks very well-put together. And I was going to mention that. I didn't need your prodding."

"Oh, all right," Katherine nodded. "But he clearly made an effort for you and I just wanted to make sure that you didn't ignore it."

Josh laughed out loud at the put out look on his father's face. He had clearly never been talked to in such a way and it was amusing to see him so unsettled.

But that didn't last long and to put himself more at ease, Rodan quickly turned his attention to Sarah. "So," he told her, "you seem nice. How did you and Josh meet?"

"I work at the snack bar at the demon gym," Sarah explained. "He goes there a lot so we see each other often. We got to talking and things went well, so when he asked me out, I said 'Yes'."

"And how has your time with him gone?" Rodan questioned. "Have you enjoyed yourself?"

"Yes," Sarah replied without missing a beat. "And he's very good to my little girl, as well, so that's an added bonus."

"You find my son worthwhile to be around?" Rodan questioned.

"Yes!" Sarah nodded. "I like him very much. He says that you and he don't have the best relationship you could yet, and I hope you're able to take the time to improve it. I think you'd learn a thing or two."

"Would I?" Rodan raised an eyebrow. "Well, we'll have to see."

They finished their drinks and then Katherine decided that it might be best for them to have dinner. She sat Sarah between Rodan and Josh with herself on Rodan's other side. When the soup was brought out, they lapsed into silence instead of trying to talk, and that was basically how the whole dinner went, at least between Josh and Rodan, although Sarah had a lot to say.

When it was finally time for the evening to be over, they had made less progress than Katherine would have liked, but it had at least started in a good direction.

"Don't worry," she whispered to Josh as Rodan talked to Sarah. "I know your dad wasn't very flexible tonight, but I can work on him."

"Thanks," Josh told her. "But it was actually the most peaceful evening I've had with him in years, so that's something."

"So…what did you think of tonight?" Josh asked as they parked in Mary and Liam's driveway. "I'm sorry if it was boring."

"Oh, no," Sarah shook her head. "It was nice to get out and have actual conversations with grown-ups while wearing a nice dress. I enjoyed myself. I see what you mean about the troubles you and your father are having, though. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Josh sighed. "I'm used to it by now. But I think…I think you made a good impression on him so that he's rethinking how he sees me. Cause if someone like you can think I'm worthwhile, then obviously I'm not the same man I used to be."

"Well, I hope not," Sarah told him. "I hope you can learn from the past." She then got out of the car and grabbed Ellie, then Josh drove her home, choosing not to go inside again.

"Next time you have to come in," Sarah told him. "If you avoid my father much longer, he literally might not let me go out with you any more cause he already suspects you're some sort of shifty fiend."

"All right," Josh nodded. "Next time, I'll come in." To her surprise, he gently kissed her cheek then. "Good night, Sarah."

"Goodnight, Josh," Sarah told him and then watched him drive away before going inside. She left Ellie with her mother and then went to make a phone call to AnnaLynne with the details of the date.

"How did it go?" AnnaLynne asked. "What's the evil plan? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sarah told her. "He was gonna kidnap me and use me for ransom or as a way to get Selina off the throne, but…now I think he wants to use me in some power play with his father. He wants to be in Rodan's good graces, maybe so he can rule in his stead someday or something."

"Be careful," AnnaLynne advised. "He's a blue one and they're the most insidious of all the demon types. They come across as gentle and harmless, but then they get in your head and soon…you're trapped and unable to get out."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sarah promised. "Thank you for reminding me."

"You do that," AnnaLynne urged. "Not just for your sake, but for Ellie's as well."

"Yeah," Sarah nodded. "I have to take care of Ellie, don't I?"

"Yeah," AnnaLynne told her. "At least until she can take care of herself. And that won't happen for a while yet."

"That couldn't be closer to the truth," Sarah agreed. "That's all I have for you."

"All right," AnnaLynne told her. "Goodnight, Sarah."

"Goodnight, AnnaLynne," Sarah told her before ending the call and lying down in her bed to read before going to sleep.