Author's note:

The letter Annie got in the last chapter from Dolores was an invitation to Roman and Quinn's birthday party at the Hargreeves Manor. Writing out a part about her reading it and accepting the invitation felt unnecessary, so I'm hopping into the next chapter on the day of the party. Carry on.

Dolores POV

'I'm gonna piss off the spirits. I just know I am.', Klaus mumbled, pacing around in the den.

I flicked a balloon with my finger, placing the other hand on my hip.

'Your fever dream means nothing Klaus.', I stressed. We had invited Annie to this birthday party I had organized, Roman and Quinn's seventeenth. 'Or high, or whatever you were.', I continued. 'You're gonna' see her, and everything is going to be fine, and the world will keep turning as usual.'

He glanced down at the pink watch on his wrist. 'How long til she gets here?'

'She said she was shooting for 5:30, Klaus, it's 5:10.', I answered, wishing he would calm down just a little bit.

Five came walking in about the same time Klaus sat down in the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees and sort of wobbled back and forth.

He handed me a cup of coffee. 'What's up with him?'

'He's terrified that he's going to doom us all for seeing Annie today.', I explained.

'Still riding on the prophecy crap, are we brother?', Five taunted, taking a sip from his own mug.

'It was NOSTRADAMUS, Five.', he spat, looking up. Five raised his eyebrows at him. 'Nostradamus doesn't lie.'

'There's actually a lot of predictions he got wrong, but worry if you please.', Five said, passive aggressively. I nudged Five's arm. 'Let it go.'

Klaus sighed deeply and put his head between his knees.

Allison and Luther were in the corner of the room. Luther hung decorations while Allison directed him, Carter propped on one hip and her two year old baby on the other.

Vanya and Joan played chess in the middle of the room, both suddenly having the urge to learn to play after binging the entirety of a certain new series on netflix.

Ben and Diego were across from me at the bar making punch, debating whether they should use pineapple or orange sherbet. Both, I presumed they landed on, as I watched them dump both tubs into the bowl, and I smiled.

Roman and Quinn were being kept upstairs by Lewis, who had sworn to keep them trapped up there. Either one of them could have certainly broken through him at any moment if they put in minimal effort, but none of us imagined they'd be keen on ruining their own surprise.

And Kai, who was off at the University of Hawaii studying marine biology, was not present. It'd been at least two years since we'd had the whole force together in one room, and it was pretty sad. Ben didn't seem too bothered by his absence though. He was happy to see him pursuing his life goals, as we all were.

Klaus had switched his position, now laying down on the ground in a fetus-like position, scrolling through twitter on his phone to calm himself. Every few seconds he'd find a meme, give a slight little giggle, then his face would switch back to utter terror.

Then there was a ring at the doorbell. Klaus hopped up real quick, almost sprinting to the door, nearly tripping.

'IT'S ANNIE!', he screamed as he ran, and we all looked around at each other silently, not expecting that reaction at all. I heard the door swing open, and a groan come from Klaus.

'Well that's a wonderful greeting, uncle Klaus.', a familiar voice said. I stepped around the corner, gripping my coffee mug, seeing that it was Kai.

'Ben, get in here!', Five shouted, resting his arm on my shoulder.

He came walking in, wiping his hands off on a towel, to see his surprise-returned son. He broke out in a wry smile, wrapping Kai up in a hug.

'I thought you had finals!', he said, squeezing him tight.

'Finished 'em up early this time.', he said, punching Luther in the abs playfully.

'That's great, Kai.', I said, draining the last of my coffee. 'Roman's gonna be happy.'

Klaus stood at the door still, staring at it disappointedly. I snapped my fingers, getting his attention, and made a smiley face motion with my fingers on my face. He gave a forced smile.

Allison came walking in, handing Carter off to me, whose face was covered in cookie crumbs. I dusted them off, laughing.

'Well you're just in time to help me carry this massive cake out, kid.', she said, motioning for him to follow her into the kitchen.

'Sweet.', he said, setting his suitcase down and running a hand through his hair as he skipped off to follow her.

At that moment Lila came out of the door leading to the basement, picking at her front tooth with a toothpick.

'Is that water-bender I heard?', she asked, nonchalantly.

'Where've you been?', Diego asked, walking towards her, taking the toothpick from her and digging at a place in his own mouth.

'With Grace.'

We all stared at her, looks of shock on our faces.

She shrugged. 'Interesting conversations.'

Allison and Kai came rolling out, Kai walking backwards, with a cake big enough to feed an army.

'Allison, how much cake did you make?!', Luther questioned, dumfounded.

'We're gonna have the whole crew together. And don't act like you won't eat a whole quarter of it personally.', she laughed back.

Luther shrugged, nodding in approval.

She dusted her hands off on an apron she had wrapped around her waist, and breathed out, looking around.

'I think that just about does it.', she said, eyeing the decorations.

'All we need now is Annie.', Kai said, putting his hands on his hips.

'Agreed.', Klaus mumbled, trying to laugh a bit.

Then the doorbell rang.

'Speak of the devil!'