Since she'd been brought down for breakfast, Lauren assumed (much to her relief) that she would no longer be cooped up in any room in the house, and was free to wander around instead, something that Ellie confirmed.

Of course you can walk around free, she wrote. You should have been able to do that from the beginning and I'm sorry you weren't. Just one thing, though: Be careful to knock before you open doors or you might see something you'll wish you hadn't.

Lauren's eyes widened. What does that mean? She wanted to know, writing quickly. She wondered how much longer the note pads and sticky notes would hold out before she'd have to gather the household around for sign language lessons. That would be much more efficient for everyone. Should I be scared?

No, Ellie shook her head although Lauren was suspicious of this answer. It's just that we're a very...sexual family and I don't want you to be uncomfortable accidentally walking into something like that. Especially where Vincent in particular is concerned. I've warned him about having orgies in his bedroom but...I doubt he'll actually listen to me.

Lauren read this, scoffed, and crumpled the paper up. Of course she'd have to be wary of running into Vincent having sexual dalliances. Of course she would.

Thanks for the warning, she wrote, her letters becoming spiky and nearly unreadable. But I'm not scared of your son. I could walk in on him having sex with lots of women and it wouldn't bother me.

Ellie grinned, thoughts starting to pop up in her mind. Thoughts about Vincent and Lauren that she was sure neither of them would like her to act on. But she had to. They would thank her in the long run. She knew they would.


"I see that you told Miss Lambert she was free to wander about the house," Lucifer chuckled as he went into Ellie's office. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Eleanor? She could see something that will scar her for life."

"I did warn her not to open any closed doors without knocking first," Ellie informed him. "I'm not just sending her out into the open. That's not nice!"

"No, it's not," Lucifer shook his head. "Not that I wouldn't love to see the look on her face if she saw something she shouldn't. Can you imagine what a girl like her would do if she saw the things that went on inside our house?"

"Yes, which is why she won't see anything!" Ellie chided him. "Right? You've put that poor girl through enough already. Why don't you start being nice to her?"

"I could get her a new wardrobe!" Lucifer exclaimed. "That's a good idea! She's a horrible dresser. Don't you think so?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ellie asked. "If she's fine with how she dresses, that should be good enough."

"No, I'm getting her new clothes," Lucifer said firmly. "And if you come along and don't complain too much, I might buy something nice for you!"

"Really?" Ellie asked. "Cause I have been needing a few new pairs of shoes."

"I think we can manage that," Lucifer grinned and offered her his arm. "Let's go."


But Ellie was quick to discover that Lucifer was not in the frame of mind to buy Lauren a wardrobe that was actually flattering. Everything was either too big or too small and in colors that were totally wrong for her. She wouldn't be able to hold Vincent's attention wearing what Lucifer wanted to buy her.

"What's wrong with this stuff?" He asked when Ellie pointed this out. "You told me that I shouldn't try and overhaul her wardrobe too much if she was comfortable with how she dresses. I took that advice to heart and now you're yelling at me. I just can't win with you, can I, Eleanor?"

"I think you're getting her unflattering stuff on purpose," Ellie told him. "You've done enough to her. You should get her things that make her look good!"

"Well, fine, Miss 'I Know Everything'," Lucifer remarked, his arms crossed. "You think you can be a better shopper than me, you go ahead and do it. Let me see you do better!"

"Fine," Ellie nodded. "I will!" She zapped everything he'd pulled out back where it was supposed to go and filled her arms with dresses in more flattering cuts, along with blouses, slacks, and shoes. (She didn't exactly know how to explain it, but after getting a few looks at Lauren, she was pretty sure she knew down to the inch what size the woman was.)

"There," she said with a satisfied grin as Lucifer looked at her spoils with wide eyes. "That looks good enough to me. I thought she could use a lot of blues and purples. Those look good on her, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Lucifer nodded. "I guess."

"Don't look so surprised," Ellie told him, surmising that the sheer volume of what she'd chosen was what was making him stare that way. "You said you wanted to buy her a new wardrobe, so that's what we're doing."

"Oh, I know that," Lucifer nodded as they hauled everything to the checkout. "But do you think she'll take it? She doesn't seem like the type that would take stuff from us, no matter how well-intentioned we are. I was buying her stuff that was crap so that when she rejected it, it wouldn't be such a problem."

"Well, she likes me much better than she likes you," Ellie said. "Or at least she trusts me more. So if I'm the one to give it to her, she might take it. There could be more of a chance. We should at least try. We owe her that."

They then got to the checkout and when the final total was rung up, Ellie did something that surprised Lucifer so much that he nearly fell over: She compelled the cashier to think they should just be given the stuff. Then she walked out of there as if that was totally fine with her.

"What did you just do?" He asked as he followed her out of the store. "You didn't pay for that stuff! Isn't this going to eat away at your conscience?"

"I'm not gonna make a practice of it," Ellie told him. "But just this once...just this once, I wanted to know what it would feel like to use that particular power. I'm a responsible person." She put all the stuff in the trunk that she modified with her magic and then sat in the passenger's seat.

Lucifer sat in the driver's seat and stared at her in shock until she said, "Are we actually going to leave this parking lot or do you want me to drive?"

"No, you don't have to," he said as he turned the key in the ignition and got the radio on. "I can do it."

"Okay," Ellie nodded. "Good."

"You're full of surprises, Eleanor," he remarked.

"Well, I gotta keep things interesting," she told him. "Gotta keep you on your toes, don't I?"


When they got home, Ellie put Lauren's new things in her room with a note and then went to talk with her. On the way, though, she ran into Christopher, who'd been keeping a low profile since Vincent's accident.

"Well, look who's here!" She exclaimed. "Why have you been hiding out? I was beginning to get worried!"

"I-I didn't exactly know how to deal with it after Vincent's accident," Christopher confessed. "I know that since we're friends, I should have been there for him, but..."

"It's okay!" Ellie told him. "I'm sure he'll understand. You should go see him." She handed him a note pad and a pencil. "But write down everything you want to say. His accident made him deaf and we still haven't mastered sign language yet."

"All right," Christopher nodded. "I think I can handle that." He paused. "Have you...have you heard from your sister lately?"

"No," Ellie shook her head. "Haven't heard from Hannah at all. Do you miss her?"

"I miss certain things about our relationship for sure," Christopher agreed. There was no point in denying it. "But I think...I think that having this break is good for us until she's sure where she stands and lets me know I have value, you know?"

"Yes," Ellie nodded. "And I'm so proud of you for taking a stand and holding out for what you know you deserve."

"Me too, but sometimes it is so hard!" Christopher confessed. "Really, really hard!"

"Well, no one said you couldn't have intimate relationships with other people," Ellie told him. "Go ahead and try it."

"I guess I could," Christopher sighed. "I don't know how well it'll work, though. As much as I hate to admit it, your sister is a tough act to follow."

Ellie smiled and gave him a hug. "It'll all work out if it's supposed to," she said. "I promise."

"I hope you're right," Christopher remarked. "I really do." Then he let her go and went to talk to his friend Vincent, hoping that Vincent wouldn't hate him too much for not being around until now.


Although there was no way that it could be said that Vincent loved Lauren, he got a strange thrill from the attention she gave him, even if most of it was negative. But after his mother warned her to stay away from locked doors, she got more clever about evading him and he began to feel neglected.

But how to get her to pay attention to him when she clearly didn't want to? It took a few nights, and a lot of brainstorming with Christopher, but then an evil plan began to form in his mind. He sort of felt guilty cause she was a nice person, but...she was avoiding him! What was wrong with her?

One morning, he wrote Lauren a note and slipped it under her bedroom door. It requested her presence to help him start learning sign language. That would get her where he wanted her to be. She wouldn't turn that down.

Then he got in his car and drove to the Underground to visit his usual girlfriends, asking if they wanted to have a party tonight, and if it would bother them to have someone new join in the fun.

"No," they said all at once. "It'll be just fine." Not that he was expecting them to refuse him. He knew they never would. Then he chuckled as he ordered himself a drink. He couldn't wait to see the look on that prim school teacher's face when she found herself in his room. He made a note to grab a camera so he could preserve it for posterity. That was important.

He was so pleased with himself that he ran to Christopher's room so his friend could share in the plot.

So you're going to have a party, Christopher said. And it's going to be one of your orgy parties. Lauren won't know that and she'll come upon it and be shocked? That's your big plan?

Yeah, Vincent returned with a grin. Isn't it a great plan?

Well, sure, if getting vengeance means that much to you, Christopher returned. But if all you want is her attention because you miss her, wouldn't it be better just to say so?

No! Vincent scowled. That would mean she wins if I went back to her and begged forgiveness and that's not what I want. I want to teach her that there are consequences for ignoring me.

This made Christopher raise an eyebrow. I've been ignoring you since your accident, he pointed out. Or at least I haven't been around. What are you going to do to me?

You're different, Vincent wrote. I know you weren't avoiding me because you're a jerk. I understand about you. You're invited to my party if you want to come. You can even bring that friend of yours, Alice, if you want. She looks like she could use one of my parties. He grinned.

I'll come to your party, Christopher assured him. I'll even bring Alice.

Good! Vincent smiled and put his hand on Christopher's shoulder. We'll all have a great time, I promise!

He left Christopher alone then and Christopher began to prepare himself mentally for what he would see. He wasn't actually bringing Alice to the party, of course. That would make him lose her as a friend for sure. But if anyone needed a friend right now, it was Lauren. And Alice...Alice might be just the person to make her feel better about this whole mess she'd been dragged into.


Lauren stared at the note, reading it over and over as she made her way to Vincent's bedroom. She wasn't sure why she was even going. It was probably a trick to humiliate her. But what if, through some miracle, he really wanted to learn? Then what kind of person would she be if she let him down?

She reached his room and knocked on his closed door as Ellie had warned her to do. She felt the vibrations of music nearby. No one came to answer the door so she knocked again, and again. Then, growling in frustration, she opened the door and found herself staring at Vincent's naked bottom as he had sex with a woman balanced against a wall, thrusting over and over again. She let out a shriek and covered her eyes. She'd wanted a good look at his bottom. She had. But not this way.

Finally, she took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and tapped Vincent on the back. At first he was annoyed at being interrupted, but after he detached himself and saw who'd interrupted him, he grinned widely, grabbing the nearby camera and getting the shocked and disgusted look on her face, just as he'd planned.

The deep blush in her cheeks matched the red dress she was wearing, which was a much more flattering cut than she usually wore, although it had more ribbons and flounces than he usually found attractive. Even so, he would love nothing more than to get it off her. He reached out to grab her and bring her into the party but she resisted and gave him another slap.

I knew this was just an attempt to humiliate me! She wrote angrily and shoved it in his face. I could feel it in my guts, which is why I almost didn't come. Then I thought that maybe you'd grown up and actually wanted to better yourself, but it's...It just really makes me sad that you're still just as much a jerk as ever! I hope this little joke at my expense makes you feel good about yourself and that you're okay with hurting the feelings of someone who is just trying to help you. I don't deserve to be treated like this. I don't. Goodbye!

That outburst made Vincent chuckle, and as she leaved, he grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around, a grin on his face. He didn't say anything, He just waited. And although she held her gaze away from his naked body for the longest time, eventually, she looked. She looked and tried to pretend she wasn't looking, her eyes going up and down and drinking in the view. Her tongue even went over her bottom lip once.

Then he pulled her close, nibbled on her ear, and gave her a spank on the bottom before pushing her out the bedroom door, much to the delight of both himself and his party companions.

Her exit was not lost on Christopher, who followed her out the door and when he reached out to touch her, she immediately began beating on him with her fists, thinking that he would treat her in a similar way to how Vincent had. But eventually, he got her to calm down, apologized for how she'd been treated and promised her that he was a friend. He then brought her to Alice, and once they were both happily talking to one another in his bedroom, he sighed and went back to Vincent's party. They were definitely going to have a talk about Lauren. That was for sure.


As Lauren got ready for bed that night, she thought about what to put on and ended up deciding on one of the new night gowns Ellie had bought for her. Initially, she'd been hesitant to accept the gifts, but then she'd decided that it had been awhile since she'd gotten a new wardrobe so why shouldn't she accept it? These people owed her big, after all.

She got in her night gown, which was white lace and slightly lower cut than she was used to, then settled down for the first real peace and quiet she'd had for hours.

Unfortunately, that didn't last, however. A knock on the door (indicated by a loud vibrating mechanism attached to it) that she wished she wouldn't have answered brought Vincent back into her room. He began circling her without blinking, just as he had before, trying to intimidate her. But this time, it didn't work.

What do you want this time? She wrote. It better be good after what you put me through today. You should be glad I even let you in here!

Vincent chuckled at this. Oh, I know why you let me in here. Don't try and hide it. I know you enjoyed my little show earlier, no matter how much you pretend you didn't. Nice to see you have desires just like other people.

This made Lauren blush furiously. I don't want to talk about it! She returned, nearly ripping the paper as she got out the frustration she felt with her pen. If all you came to do is brag, I want you to get out!

He grinned and reached out to run his fingers over the gauzy fabric of the night gown's skirt. Were you expecting me? He wanted to know. Because I refuse to believe you just chose to wear something so sexy to bed for no reason. You had to know I'd be coming in and wanting to take a look.

Lauren rolled her eyes. Actually, I hoped you wouldn't come at all! And I didn't wear this for you. I wore it because I think it makes me look pretty. It makes me feel good! That's reason enough, right? Not everything in my life revolves around you! Now get out! I want to sleep!

Vincent chuckled. Oh, I'm sure you do, he wrote. And it's nice to see that you're secretly naughty underneath all your plain and boring clothes. I thought you were hiding something from me.

He reached out to run his fingers over the designs on the bodice of her night gown and when he moved his hands upward to place his warm fingers on the bit of her chest that was exposed, she slapped his hand away.

I couldn't care less what you think I'm trying to do when wearing this. What message I'm trying to send! She breathed heavily. If I were trying to attract a man with sexy clothes, it would be a man with character, not someone like you who's damaged and selfish and sinful!

That just made Vincent laugh. She might hate him, but she had his character down pretty well.

You have needs too, you know, he told her. Why don't you let me show you? I know you want me to. You already got a taste when you looked at my body tonight. It seemed like you were enjoying yourself. Don't deny yourself what you know your body wants.

He got close to her then, his fingers running over her neck and collarbone and then pushing the stretchy fabric of the night gown aside to expose her shoulders, which he kissed, and free her arms from the sleeves. It felt good, but Lauren wasn't ready for it so she pushed him away from her and onto the floor.

That wrecked his playful mood and soon, they began fighting: slapping, hitting, and pulling at each other's clothes. He finally stopped when he tore her night gown in two and undid her bun, exposing really long hair down to her bottom that he was just itching to get his fingers into, much to his surprise.

She was also the sort of person that slept in both her bra and her panties (both nude colored, of course) that covered up two beautiful (and surprisingly good-sized) breasts. He shut his eyes and imagined her being covered by nothing but that long, lustrous hair, just like Lady Godiva...

He opened his eyes and pulled her against himself, undoing her bra and cupping her breasts, which of course, got him yet another good hard slap. He smiled and kissed her soundly, his fingers threading through that beautiful hair before he finally let her go and got up to leave, shutting the door behind him as his mind filled with nothing but pictures of Lauren and her beautiful walnut tresses.

And when she was sure she was alone and could catch her breath, Lauren grinned to herself. She knew he liked her hair. It had surprised him. It seemed to be her big weapon with men who had always wanted to touch it. He wasn't the first. It had been oddly thrilling to have that power over him. Oddly arousing. But that too was something she'd keep to herself, just like how she thought his bottom was nicely shaped. Without putting on a new night gown, she got in bed, shut her eyes and eased into sleep, thinking of the look on his face as she came to seduce him covered by nothing but her hair.