"Why are we doing this, Eleanor?" Lucifer whined as they prepared to go to a Thanksgiving dinner for the family, including his father and Gwen and her kids. "You're just gonna be miserable. I can tell you that right now."

"I'm choosing not to believe you," Ellie said optimistically. "Thanksgiving is a day about family so we're all gonna bond and get along if it kills us!"

"This won't really be much of a dinner what with Valerie not talking to you and Angelica not talking to me," Lucifer pointed out.

"So talk with your dad and Gwen," Ellie shrugged. "You can do that, right?"

Then they heard Valerie and Angelica talking about going out.

"Don't be gone too long," she called to them. "We eat in few hours at your grandfather's house!"

"No, thanks," Valerie told her. "We're meeting people who actually like us and haven't screwed us over so we can spend time with them."

"Yeah," Angelica added just as Lucifer opened his mouth to reprimand Valerie. "But you make sure to tell Dad Lee can have my seat...if he hasn't already given it to him like everything else."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm sorry about Lee?" He demanded. "I didn't do it to hurt you. I just did what I thought was fair."

"And how is it fair that Lee gets to keep what makes him happy and I don't?" Angelica demanded.

"Well, you've had it easier than him," Lucifer pointed out. "For one thing, your mother isn't a heartless lunatic."

"The 'Heartless' part is still up for debate," Valerie muttered.

"I'll have you know she stayed for you!" Lucifer snapped, looking Valerie in the eye. "She stayed for you and your brother. If it had been just me, she would have run and not look back. Does that not count for anything?"

Valerie scoffed. "No, not if she only did it out of guilt!"

"Okay, you know what, fine!" Ellie snapped. "You two can just go if you want to. Your grouchiness will probably make everyone miserable anyway!"

"Not that we would have come if we didn't have permission not to," Angelica spat. "I mean, would anyone have noticed if we were gone since they have their heads up other people's asses?"

This made Lucifer so angry that his face changed.

"Oh, you think I'm scared of that?" Angelica scoffed. "Well, I'm not! Valerie, let's go!"

"Right," Valerie said and looked at the clock on her phone. "We're already almost late. All the good food's probably gonna be picked over by the time we get there."

They straightened up and marched out of the house, their frames full of dignity as they refused to look back at their parents.

"Calm down," Ellie told Lucifer once the door closed. "Take a deep breath. It'll be okay."

"No, it's not!" Lucifer cried. "You wanted a nice family time and those two had no right to ruin it for you. Who knew we raised such brats?"

"Isn't that a bit of hypocrisy coming from you?" Ellie asked. "You wouldn't go if I didn't want it to so bad either. I mean, don't get me wrong; I'm grateful, but it's true, right? The only reason why you spend as much time with your father is for me?"

Lucifer sighed and took her in his arms. "I would mostly have to agree with that statement," he nodded. "But it's like I've actually found myself telling him to his face, I've...lightened up, ever so slightly, since he put us together and it didn't become an unmitigated disaster."

"Oh?" Ellie smiled. "That's good..." But she didn't want to push anymore. She was saved from having to come up with a response by the arrival of Lee and Lisa and Vincent, Lauren, and kids.

"Are we leaving now?" Vincent asked, trying to keep a grip on a squirming Lily-Eleanor who did not like the pretty blue dress she was being forced to wear and kept trying to pull at it. "Or are we waiting for the girls?"

"No, they left already," Ellie told him. "Who knows if we'll see them."

"They're still not talking to you in a nice way?" Vincent asked. "Jeez."

"I'm surprised you are," Ellie said. "Didn't Valerie tell you why she was mad?"

"Well, yeah, but...you came back after you left, right?" Vincent shrugged. "You came back and I know you love us, so I don't see what the problem is." He paused. "Where's Noah? Is he coming?"

"Yes, but he's gonna meet us there," Ellie said. "He had some stuff to do at the club first."

"And by 'stuff' you mean 'people'," Vincent scoffed.

"Oh, be nice," Lauren chided as Nick took his sister and tried to distract her from her clothes with tricks involving making stuff disappear and reappear. "You were like that too, once."

"Yeah, but I learned not to be," Vincent pointed out as they made their way to the door. "I really don't know about Noah."

"I do," Ellie said cheerfully, since she was one of the few people who actually knew about Noah's feelings for Cassidy that he'd been careful to hide from the family at large. "And I don't think you should worry about your brother."

"Oh, yeah? And why's that?" Vincent asked.

"When your brother wants you to know, he'll tell you," Ellie replied. "Or your grandfather will blurt it out if you say something to him. Depends on how long you want to wait."

"Well I don't, so I think I know what I'll be asking Grandpa," Vincent grinned as they all piled into their cars.


Gabriel and Lexie were already at Steve's, having dragged a reluctant Michael and Emma (who had just wanted to show up in time for the food and not help with preparation) along with them.

"I'm so excited to have everyone here with us," Steve told Gwen as they worked on dinner while Gabriel and Lexie decorated and Michael and Emma watched TV with Pepper. "My family is being a bit difficult as usual, so I'm glad I'll have Rebecca and your family to talk to."

"Yeah, and they're excited too," Gwen assured him. "Now, we have everything at least started but dessert. Did you say...what did you say you wanted?"

Just then, the doorbell rang. Gwen went to answer it and groaned. "What do you want?" She asked.

"I just...I've been reading up on this holiday," Charlotte said and tried to get inside. "This...ritual sacrifice with pie." She held it out. "I brought the pie. Can I stay?"

"No, but thanks for that," Gwen snapped, taking the pie and slamming the door in Charlotte's face.

"Who was that?" Steve asked.

"Your ex wife brought pie," Gwen exclaimed. "Should we eat it, or throw it away?"

The door opened again and Charlotte strode in. "Oh, just eat it!" She snapped. Then she grinned at the smoke billowing out of the oven. "Look's like something's on fire, dear," she remarked and burst out laughing.

Gwen swore and ran to the oven, suddenly overcome with the urge to throw the pie in Charlotte's face.

"Do you really want to throw that?" Charlotte asked. "What sort of dessert will you give your guests then?"

"Oh, I hate you!" Gwen glared.

Trouble started, Charlotte left to chat with Michael and Emma. "I see you two aren't doing anything to help," she said.

"We offered, but were turned down," Michael explained and scratched Pepper behind the ears. "Besides, someone had to watch the dog and make sure he didn't eat anything or wreck the decorations. It's a very important job."

Charlotte rolled her eyes and turned to Gabriel, who was arranging the silverware. "What have I said about treating your brother like a child?" She chided. "You know he could do more."

"Oh, of course he could," Gabriel nodded without looking up. "But he doesn't want to, and at least he's contributing somehow by watching the dog." He looked up. "Michael, do you think I should have given you a more strenuous task? Do you think I'm talking down to you?"

"Nope, I'm good thanks," Michael assured him and scratched Pepper behind the ears.

"See?" Gabriel pointed out to his mother. "No problems." He then watched as Pepper got out of Michael's lap and went to scratch at the door.

"We'll take him on a walk," Emma assured Steve, "Don't worry. Need us to pick up anything else while we're out?"

"No, thank you," Steve told her. "More of the cavalry has arrived. We should be fine."

They opened the door to leave and found themselves face to face with Gwen's daughter Rebecca, her husband Eli, son Luke, and her brothers Declan and King and their families.

"How in the world did everyone come at once?" Gwen questioned as they all stampeded in before Michael and Emma slipped out.

"We all did a caravan," Rebecca smiled and hugged her mother. "Oh, and we didn't know what to bring so we all brought dessert. I hope that's okay."

"It's fine," Gwen smiled, eyes on Charlotte now that the oven fire was out. "You can never have enough dessert." She then strode over to her and slammed the pie in her face. "Now that we have more than enough dessert, I don't think we'll be needing this," she said with a smile as Charlotte let out a shriek loud enough to break the windows.

"What are we gonna eat now that the turkey is a giant black thing?" Eli asked, peering inside the oven. "Can we fix it?"

"Not with magic," Gwen replied. "It's a rule now that all Thanksgiving stuff has to be done by hand. Leftover distaste for the pilgrims due to their hatred of witches."

"It's stupid rule," Rebecca huffed. "It used to be so much easier."

"I'd be willing to order us a couple of pizzas," Gwen's son King offered. "I know It's not standard holiday fare and it doesn't exactly mix well with everything else on the table, but it's better than nothing. What does everyone want?"

"You know you can pick anything and I'll eat it," Kai remarked. Victoria had come to pick him up from Lucifer's early in the morning. "So I don't really care."

"Well, the question was more directed at others besides you," King said. "But thank you for saying something."

"I would say...a cheese one, a meat one, and a veggie one," Declan suggested. "You're covering all the bases that way."

King looked at Gwen. "You think three larges would be enough, Mom?"

"For a start," Gwen nodded. "And we'll see where we go from there."

"Good," Steve said. "Now that that's taken care of, I have some recalcitrant granddaughters to get here."

"Good luck with that," Gwen told him.

"I don't need luck," Steve said and kissed Gwen's hand. "Don't forget who I am."


"I swear I've told all my kids and Lucifer to behave themselves," Ellie promised Steve when their bunch arrived, including a grumpy Valerie and Angelica who gave Steve a glare and a hiss the moment she stepped through the door. "There'll be no fighting today, even if it means no one says a word!"

"Oh, it's not the children I'm worried about," Steve told Ellie in a low voice. "My ex-wife invited herself here and seems to be intent on causing trouble with Gwen." He took Ellie's hand and led her to the edge of the kitchen where they heard Charlotte's voice carry over from the living room.

"Tell me Gwen dear," she said. "I have to ask, if it's not too personal, how are things between you and my ex? Are you two getting...close? I bet not. I bet you're just holding hands! And that kissing him is like kissing your father!"

"None of your business!" Gwen snapped. Then, just as Steve was about to step in and defend her, Gwen used her magic to zap over another pie, which was laden with whipped cream, and then, when she got a good grip on it, whammed it squarely in Charlotte's face, grinning at her shriek and the fact that filling and whipped cream also fell down the neckline of her dress, too.

"Why did you need to do that again?" Charlotte growled.

"Cause it's fun," Gwen replied. "You stop trying to pick fights with me and you won't get a face full of whipped cream. Not that hard of a concept to grasp."

"What's going on?" Valerie called. "Are we having a food fight? This might not be such a boring meal after all."

She then began picking up every bit of food she could off the neatly decorated table and began throwing it. The others were surprised at first but soon, everyone was in on it.

The noise quickly caught Ellie's attention and she came to the dining room just in time to yell "What the-" Before getting a face full of yams as Lucifer sauntered up behind her, laughter on his lips.

"Well, this is fun, isn't it Eleanor?" He asked.

But the grin was wiped off his face as Ellie turned, wiped yams out of her eyes, and glared at him, her eyes clearly dark and vein-y and her fangs bared. "No," she growled softly.

"No, no," Lucifer stepped back a little and cleared his throat. "I suppose it isn't. Not fun at all."

"We're gonna fix this," Ellie continued in a hiss, grabbing him by the lapels as her emotions and the magical side effects of pregnancy led to even more chaos including broken windows and electronics going on and off by themselves. "And if you dare tell me 'I told you so'..."

"No, no, I promise," Lucifer swore as she got him backed up against the wall. "Come on, let's go find my father."

Then, she let him go, put her hands to her stomach and collapsed on the floor. "Eleanor!" He cried out. "Are you all right?"

"My stomach, it hurts!" Ellie got out. "Oh, my stomach!"

"Don't worry, it's just stress cramps," Steve said, appearing beside them because neither Angelica or Valerie, who were nearby, was in the mood to help, and were instead just chatting among themselves and pointedly ignoring their parents."She just needs to take a deep breath and calm down. I'll fix that."

Soon the skies darkened, there was a loud clap of thunder, and the house was plunged into darkness.

"Enough!" Steve cried, sounding even more intimidating since no one could see him. "Now, I am going to turn the lights back on, we're going to eat whatever food we have left, and we're all gonna try and be pleasant. Is that clear?" He waited until there was some nervous agreement, then he turned the lights back on, gave them a smile, and gestured at the now neat table which was covered by the pizzas and half-full bowls of sides. "Now, who's hungry? And didn't Lexie and Gabriel make a lovely table for us today?"

"Yes," Ellie replied as Lucifer pulled out a chair for her. "It's just beautiful."

"Thanks!" Lexie told her. "All the orange was my idea. And I went outside and collected everything while Michael put it all together. He has a better artistic eye than I do."

"Oh, thanks," Gabriel smiled and blushed as Michael and Emma and Lucifer all rolled their eyes. "You're so sweet!"

They delved into their pizza and it was after he finished his first piece that Lee finally said something about the fact that Charlotte kept staring at him. "What?" He asked.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "And who are you?"

"Mum, this is Lee, Lee that's my mother," Lucifer supplied.

"Lee's the bastard son of one of Dad's old girlfriends," Angelica told Charlotte. "Yet Dad still thinks that entitles him to be here anyway or be happy, even at my expense." She glared at Steve. "And he's not the only one. Grandpa here won't even fix Sammy after all I've done for Him, although He knows perfectly well that He can! Apparently, I don't deserve that. I just have to suffer even though I've done everything He's ever asked of me, and had faith in him when everyone else didn't!"

"Angelica, we talked about this," Steve told her. "I have my reasons."

"And they're all stupid!" Angelica huffed, arms crossed. "Just like this stupid dinner!"

"Wow, such bitterness," Charlotte got out, smiling a little. "I didn't think you were capable of it. Perhaps I misjudged you."

"Maybe you did," Valerie nodded. "It's shocking, isn't it?" She got out as she glared at her mother. "You think you know someone, you find out they've been lying to you, and it just...it changes everything,"

"Okay, that's enough of that," Vincent said, stuffing his sister's face with pizza after reaching over his daughter's head as she looked up at his chin. "Why don't we eat instead of talk, all right? Right now, Lily-Eleanor is behaving better than you."

"Don't you treat me like your toddler!" Valerie yelled.

"Well, then stop acting like one," Vincent returned.

Eventually, Steve turned his attention to one of the few people at the table who hadn't made a fuss at all and was just quietly minding his own business.

"Noah, what are you doing?" He questioned. Then he noticed that his grandson had his phone in his lap. "So nice that you have someone to talk to at Thanksgiving, isn't it?"

Noah then looked up, eyes wide. "Someone? What someone? I'm not talking to anyone!" He quickly shoved his phone in his pocket and reached for mashed potatoes. "See?"

"All right, I understand," Steve said, coming up behind him and speaking in a low whisper. "You're not ready to talk about Cassidy yet."

"No, I'm not...not to people!" Noah agreed. "So would you just...would you just keep it down for now?"

"If you want things to go well with her, you'll have to say something eventually," Steve remarked.

"Oh, I know that," Noah replied. "It's just not time." He shuddered. "You know, she invited me to eat with her and her friends, which surprised me. She seemed unsure about it though, like she was only offering cause she felt she should, so I turned her down. There'll be plenty of time for that later."

"Yes," Steve nodded. "There sure will."

After that, things continued more or less peacefully, although Gwen and Steve were both glad when the house was empty and quiet again. Well, mostly empty and mostly quiet. Charlotte refused to leave with everyone else.

"I just...I had a special goodbye to say," she told Steve. "And I didn't want to do it in front of everyone else. It was nice to see you again, Husband." She then kept her eyes on Gwen's face as she grabbed Steve and kissed him soundly. "Thought it wouldn't hurt to give you a kiss for old times' sake. I'm going now. Enjoy doing nothing but holding hands, you two."

"Oh, not yet!" Gwen cried, grabbing Charlotte and repeatedly slamming her head against the door before tossing the woozy woman out onto the front step and slamming the door on her. "Now you can. Goodbye!"

"Well, that was unexpected," Steve remarked as she turned.

"I know it's not good or gracious or whatever, but...she just seems so intent on angering me and and I don't know why!" Gwen cried. "I'm usually so good about controlling my feelings!"

"Maybe too good," Steve suggested. "I have to say, I'm a bit touched."

"You are?" Gwen asked in amazement. "I just...I didn't know where we were even going with all this because we haven't done much at all, you know, physically, and I know that's due to me, but I just...I don't like the thought of that woman kissing you!"

"And what does that mean?" Steve asked.

"You know what it means!" Gwen replied.

"I want you to say it," Steve told her. "Please."

"I want more!" Gwen burst out. "Maybe not all the way more, but...but I want us to be an 'us', you know? Not just two people who live in the same house and kiss sometimes and hold hands like your wife said."

"Really?" Steve asked. "Or is it just an emotional reaction to my wife?"

"Can't it be both?" Gwen cried. "I don't know!"

"I'll make space for your toothbrush," Steve told her and kissed her. "And space in my dresser and closet for your clothes. Now that we have an extra bedroom, we can have overnight guests!"

"Not for a long time after today," Gwen got out. "I think I've had all the guests I can stand for a while."


"No," Ellie groaned when, just as she was about to tuck herself in for bed, Lucifer told her that he had a surprise for her. "No more surprises, no more Thanksgiving, I just want it all to be over!"

"You'll like this one, I swear," Lucifer promised.

"Oh, all right," Ellie said. She got out of bed, slipped on her slippers, and then let him put his hands over her eyes and lead her to the dining room, where the table was set with Thanksgiving food for two.

"Wow," she said. "You did this for me?"

"It'll be the peaceful meal you wanted," he told her.

They then sat down and began eating, but were only a few bites in when he felt Ellie's foot go up his leg,

"Eleanor, what are you doing?" He asked with a grin.

"I thought I was hungry, but apparently, it's in a different way..." she said, keeping her eyes on him as she got some whipped cream from the pie on her finger and slowly sucked it off as he watched, then grabbed her from across the table and kissed her soundly.

Usually, there was a conflict in Ellie's mind between food and sex, but this time, it didn't pop up. After zapping the pie over to the counter, the rest of it was zapped away so that the table was clear and after unzipping of pants and removal of panties, they began going at it on the table.

"Yes," Ellie panted. "Oh, yes!"

Then he slowed down a little, although he didn't pull out.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"I don't want you to have another attack of cramps like you did earlier," Lucifer replied. "Maybe we should stop this...or at least do it in bed. Are you comfortable?"

"Did it sound like I was complaining?" Ellie questioned.

"Good point," Lucifer nodded and continued thrusting until he had to grab her so she wouldn't fall off the table when she orgasmed. Then there was a knock at the door.

"Everyone okay in there?" Dexter asked. "Do you need things cleared away?"

"No, we're...we're still eating!" Ellie called as they tidied up in case he opened the door. "We'll let you know when we're done!"

"All right, just thought I'd check," Dexter told her. "Glad you're enjoying yourselves."

"We sure are," Lucifer called and then chuckled as Ellie sneaked under the table and began feeling him up. If he had to be thankful for something it was that he hadn't zipped up his fly yet.

"Oh, Eleanor, you naughty creature," he said. "Go down a little...down, down...there's the spot! I know you always complain that you don't have good piano fingers but those nimble digits of yours are definitely good at other things."

"Glad you think so," Ellie smiled a little later. "Now, do you want to finish that pie or what?"

"Yes," Lucifer nodded, zipping up and putting a hand on her belly before getting the pie from the counter. "How big a piece do you want?"

"A big one," Ellie smiled. "I'm ravenous for some reason!"

He ended up cutting the pie in half between the two of them and after slathering their halves in whipped cream, they went for their forks.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Eleanor," Lucifer told Ellie. "I have to say, I'm very thankful for you. For when I wake up every morning and you're still here. Sometimes, I honestly wonder why after how badly I screwed up. You don't even have nightmares from it or anything."

"I've never been scared of you," Ellie told him. "And what happened that led to the twins...I was always more mad about it than scared. And I know you have your issues and that's part of why you did what you did. You don't handle being left behind well and you didn't like the idea of me being yet another person to abandon you. But you've learned and I'm so proud of you for that. I've left other times, but you know now that I'm always gonna come back. Cause I love you very much. Warts and all. And I'm thankful for you too."

"Oh, and why is that?" Lucifer wanted to know. "What could possibly make you be thankful for me...besides, you know, the things that everyone wants me for: sex, favors...nothing too deep cause I'm not good for that."

"You are!" Ellie protested. "You think Angelica would care so much about being replaced by Lee in your affections if you were just capable of having sex with people and that's it? You really connected with her. You gave a damn when she was in trouble! You are capable of great love and we all know it. And I like that I get it from you no matter what i do. I could make you cookies and have your baby or...get high on pot brownies and rob a bank and either way, you'd love me just the same. That's good. That's what I'm grateful for. You do that for me. You do that for all of us."

He blushed. "Oh, well, I guess I am learning."

"You are," Ellie repeated as he held her gently, ran his fingers through her hair, and then after shutting the lights off, pulling the covers over both of them as they whispered 'Goodnight' in the darkness.