The members of Vampire Hunters Incorporated spent nearly four days drifting in and out of sleep, recovering from the confrontation with Gail's daughters their one and only job right now. Aubrey and Stacie had accidentally lapsed into alternate sleep schedules, neither awake when the other was but Aubrey had dragged herself from the sofa to the bed next to Stacie once Thea had reassured her that she wouldn't hurt her by doing so.

Stacie's hands had finally been healed, as had Aubrey's, all aches and pains finally gone but a small amount of scarring remaining. Stacie was relieved that Aubrey was there every time she woke, the head resting on her chest reminding her that she was free and back with her family where she belonged. It was over, her sleeping fiancée was a reminder of that. She'd survived.

Eventually, Aubrey awoke to the feeling of fingers running through her hair, looking up to find Stacie smiling sleepily at her. A grin tugged at her lips as she shifted her position slightly, pressing her lips into Stacie's.

"Hey baby." Aubrey hummed, her forehead against Stacie's, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." Stacie mumbled, "But I'm okay. How about you?"

"Exactly the same." Aubrey chuckled, "It's been a long week."

"Yeah tell me about it." Stacie scoffed, wrapping her arms tighter around Aubrey as she kissed the top of her head, "I still feel like I could sleep for a week…"

"You earned it." Aubrey mused, snuggling closer to Stacie, "You saved the world, remember?"

"We saved the world." Stacie shook her head, hand stroking up and down Aubrey's spine as she sniffed softly, "I wouldn't have been able to do it without you Bree. You saved my life, you came to get me, I- I would've died there if you didn't come and get me."

"Hey…" Aubrey lifted her head, gently wiping the tears from Stacie's cheeks as she frowned softly, "I was always going to come and get you, did you think I wasn't?"

"I…" Stacie pursed her lips, "They got in my head… I screwed up really badly Aubrey, I was supposed to come back with mom, and they took my magic, the magic that I used against you and Beca and Chloe… I didn't think you'd want me back."

Aubrey frowned deeper as she got onto her knees, straddling Stacie's waist carefully, wary of both Stacie's residual injuries and her own. She cupped her face in her hands, wiping away every tear of Stacie's that fell.

"Stacie look at me." Aubrey waited until Stacie's eyes met hers before she continued, "I will always, always, come and find you. No matter where you are, no matter what you've done or what you think you've done, I am always going to come and get you. I love you so much, you are my soulmate, and no-one, not even evil incarnate, can keep me from you."

"I…" Stacie shook her head a little, "I'm so sorry Aubrey… I never meant to- I just-"

"You have nothing to apologise for Stace, I promise." Aubrey brushed Stacie's hair from her face, "I love you, nothing is ever going to change that, I swear."

"You don't know that." Stacie whimpered softly, tears falling faster, "You- you haven't seen- I'm not- what if you don't? What if after everything they did, you can't love what they left behind?"

"I know I can." Aubrey leant in and brushed her lips over Stacie's, forehead pressed to hers, "I don't care what they did, they're dead and gone, they've paid for it, all I care about is the fact that you're home safe, that you're here and I can take care of you, and tell you how much I love you, show you how much I missed you and how valued you are and how safe you are now. Nothing can ever change how I feel about you Stacie Conrad. Not Gail, not her daughters, nothing."

"I gave up…" Stacie whispered, chewing at her bottom lip, "I- I was in so much pain, I was so exhausted and weak and pathetic, I… I was ready to pack it all in Bree, I was ready to stop waiting for you and give up, how could you possibly want someone like that?"

"You are not weak and pathetic." Aubrey shook her head furiously, "Stacie you wielded the magic of nearly twenty witches, you defeated Khalida, you were ready to sacrifice yourself to save the whole damn world. You are the strongest person I know, just because they hurt you, that they did awful things and made you feel like you couldn't go on, it doesn't make you either of those things."

"I'm sorry." Stacie was trembling a little as Aubrey stroked her face, "I should've been stronger, I'm sorry."

"No." Aubrey kissed her softly, "You did nothing wrong Stace. You're how now, you're home, and you're safe, and you're loved. Everything is else is arbitrary. I love you, it's all going to be okay."

Stacie said nothing, simply weeping softly as Aubrey wrapped herself around her, holding her as tightly as she dared. Stacie wanted to believe her, wanted to feel comforted and loved, but she couldn't shake these feelings of inadequacy and weakness from her mind. She had been shown exactly what she was without her magic and her family, and that was nothing. Aubrey, Beca, Chloe, her mom, her brothers… all of them were exceptional people outside of the work they did, all of them were strong and powerful in ways that no supernatural enhancement could give them. But Stacie? She wasn't, she was weak and needed rescuing, needed help to fulfil her destiny, she couldn't even do that by herself. What did that make her?

"It's okay." Aubrey whispered into her hair, stroking her back as Stacie cried into her chest, "I promise it's okay Stace. I love you, I've got you, no matter how long it takes I'm going to make sure that you know just how brave, and strong, and incredible you are."

"I can't believe we're doing this…" Chloe bit her lip, squeezing Beca's hands tight in hers.

"I know." Beca rested her forehead against Chloe's smiling softly at her, "Are you sure you want to do it like this? Because we can wait and do the whole white wedding thing with hundreds of guests if you want…"

"No." Chloe shook her head, beaming, "This is perfect. Just you and me, something really quiet and just… perfect. Like you."

"Dork." Beca scoffed rolling her eyes a little before she kissed her softly, "C'mon. Thea said to meet her in here."

They had spoken privately to Thea a few days after getting engaged, swearing her to secrecy as Thea had lit up with excitement. Beca and Chloe just wanted a simple, quiet marriage ceremony, with no fuss, no excitement, just a promise and a commitment made between the two of them before they carried on with the rest of their lives. Thea had agreed with an insane amount of enthusiasm to perform the ceremony, telling Beca and Chloe to meet her in a small conference room in the Academy in an hour.

"I love you." Chloe kissed Beca's cheek as they intwined their fingers, Beca pushing the door open, "I'm so happy we're doing this now Becs… it feels like I've been waiting my whole life for this."

"Me too." Beca grinned.

As Chloe and Beca walked into the room they found Thea waiting with a broad grin on her face, along with…

"Dude, we said to keep it to yourself!" Beca protested, rolling her eyes as Thea shrugged.

"Like you were going to get away with doing this without us." Aubrey arched her eyebrow, her arm wrapped Stacie's waist, the pair of them wearing the same large grins that Thea was.

"Yeah, who do you think you are getting married without telling us?!" Stacie scoffed, "Come on…"

"We didn't want you guys to think we were trying to beat you to it…" Chloe blushed a little as she leant into Beca, "Becs and I just wanted to get it done and just… be married."

"You still need witnesses." Thea straightened out the lengths of silk laid in front of her, "Did you really think I wasn't going to tell them?"

"I guess not…" Beca sighed dramatically, an affectionate grin on her face, "I'm glad you guys are here though."

"Good." Stacie grinned, "Because we're not leaving, even if you wanted us too."

It was short, simple and sweet, neither Beca nor Chloe needing to exchange long and complicated vows and promises. They knew what they meant to each other, what they would be to each other for the rest of their immortal lives, all they needed was to make it official. Thea got them to stand facing each other with their palms facing up, Chloe's resting on top of Beca's, both of them holding the ends of a length of silk in their hands. Under Thea's direction as the ceremony came to a close, they stepped back from each other, the two lengths of silk pulled together to form a knot. Once sealed, it glowed brightly, small orbs spreading outwards from it and swirling around Beca and Chloe as they grinned tearfully at each other.

"By the ancient rites and laws we uphold, the two of you are now bound to each other." Thea was holding back a wave of emotion as she concluded the ritual, "Your souls, your lives, your beings are now one. May your love sustain you for the rest of your lives. You may kiss the bride."

Beca pulled Chloe into her, their lips easily finding each other's as they sank into a deep kiss, the lights continuing to swirl around them as they sealed their commitment. After the long, long road they had taken to get here, after Gail had torn them apart, after they had fought so hard to come back together, after they had fought evil incarnate no less than six different times and won, Beca and Chloe could finally enjoy the rest of their lives together.

As they pulled apart, Chloe and Beca found themselves wrapped in the warm embrace of Aubrey and Stacie, beaming at each other as they were.

"I'm so happy for you guys!" Stacie squealed in Beca's ear, Beca rolling her eyes as she embraced her back.

"Thanks Stace." Beca grinned, her hand still holding Chloe's, "Thanks for being here."

"Well we almost weren't." Aubrey grumbled good naturedly, Beca shooting her a playful glare over Stacie's shoulder, "Thanks Thea."

"Of course." Thea shrugged, eyes bright and tearful, "Family has to be there for the most important moments . It's just the way it is."

"Yeah." Chloe beamed, "You're right. This was perfect."

"Damn right it was…" Beca pulled Chloe into her again, cupping her cheek in her hand, "I married you, how could it not be?"

Aubrey, Stacie, Beca and Chloe were able to move back into their home the next day. The Council had worked hard to reassemble their office after Alice and her sisters had torn it apart, and it had been reinforced with stronger protection charms, as safe for them as the Academy was for its hundreds of students. Thea had once again taken the mantle as Head of the Council, needing something like this to bury herself in with Sam gone, currently staying with Michael and Olivia as going home was just too hard right now. They all understood it, of course they did, and all of them were keeping a close eye on Thea as they all learnt to navigate their grief.

A week after they moved back home, Stacie found herself sat in front of a mirror, touching up her makeup as Beca draped herself over a nearby couch.

"I still can't believe you're marrying Captain Posen y'know?" Beca smirked, Stacie smiling tightly, looking a little distracted and causing Beca to frown, "You okay there?"

"Yeah." Stacie nodded, turning her head to look at Beca, her smile not quite reaching her eyes, "It's my wedding day, I didn't think I was going to get to have this… of course I'm okay."

Beca sat forward, setting down the glass of champagne in her hand as she took Stacie's in hers and gave them a tight squeeze, "Talk to me Conrad. What is it?"

"Nothing." Stacie insisted, shaking her head a little as the beginnings of tears started to form in her eyes, "It's… it's just… it's not going to be the same as I thought it would, as I dreamed it would be, y'know?"

Stacie looked down at her hands that were still held tight in Beca's, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat, "I'm marrying Aubrey, I'm so happy, I really am but… when I used to picture this as a kid it always started with my dad walking me down the aisle and ended with me and Iz tearing up the dancefloor."

Beca's shoulders sagged a little as she rubbed her thumbs over the back of Stacie's hands, sighing softly, "I didn't even think about that Stace, I'm sorry…"

"It's fine." Stacie looked up again, taking back one of her hands so that she could brush back a stray tear before it ruined her makeup, "Really, it is. Mike's walking me down the aisle, I've got you and Chloe and Ellie instead of Iz… it's not exactly what I wanted, but it's still perfect. I'm still marrying Aubrey, and that's all that matters at the end of it."

"I still think you'd have way more fun with me though…"

Stacie spun around on her stool, mouth falling open in shock as her sister grinned at her, giving her a little wave as Stacie tried to form words.

"I- what- how-?"

"Turns out when you save the world from being devoured by an ancient goddess, there are some perks afterwards." Isabella shrugged, tearfully pulling Stacie to her feet, revelling in being able to touch her sister again, "For one night, and one night only, the Conrad twins are back baby."

Stacie chuckled as she shook her head, tears running down her cheeks as she threw her arms around Isabella's neck, embracing her as tightly as she could.

"I can't believe you're really here…" Stacie pulled back a little, cupping Isabella's face in her hands, "Like really, solid matter here…"

"Yeah it's weird…" Isabella frowned a little, "After over a decade of being kind of floaty to this? It's almost a downgrade…"

Stacie laughed as she pulled her into a warm hug again. This made all of it worth it. Every minute of pain and fear and uncertainty she had experienced at the hands of Gail's daughters became worth it because now, for the most important day in her life, she had her sister back. All that was missing was…

"I really hope you're saving some hugs for me."

Sam stood just behind Stacie and Isabella, tears in his eyes as he held his arms out towards Stacie. She simply gasped softly before pulling away from her sister and throwing herself into Sam's arms, sobbing into his shoulder as he held her tightly. Her dad was here… her perfect day, marrying her perfect was now complete.

"Did you really think I'd miss your wedding day mi amore?" Sam smiled warmly as he gently stroked Stacie's back, Stacie still clinging to him tightly, as if when she let him go he'd disappear again, "I'm so proud of you, for everything that you've done and for everything that you will do."

"Does- does mom know you're here?" Stacie sniffed as she pulled away, turning to Isabella for a moment, "Both of you?"

"Yeah." Isabella nodded with a grin, "Didn't need her passing out in shock as she saw us before she could marry you. Mike and Tony do too, you should have seen their faces when they thought I was you and wasn't dressed yet."

Stacie giggled softly, leaning against Sam as he gently brushed the tears from her cheeks, "I- I'm so glad you guys are here… this was all I wanted, all I needed to make this day complete."

"I uh…" Beca rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly as she gently edged around Isabella, "I've been trying to pick a moment to sneak out but you all just kept getting so emotional so… I'm gonna tell Thea that we're almost ready, okay?"

"Thanks Becs." Stacie grinned, "Sorry for all the emotion."

"You're good." Beca shrugged, "I'm just not trying to ruin both our makeup before we get started."

Stacie's wedding day went exactly as she had always dreamed it would, her father's arm linked with hers as he walked her down the aisle, Aubrey grinning tearfully and broadly at her from the other end of the aisle. Her mom was in floods of happy tears as she married the two of them, as were the rest of their families, blood relation and found, each of them joyfully overwhelmed with just how perfect it was for them. Especially after the last year, after everything they had been through trying to fight Alice and her sisters, after Sam had died, and Thea and then Stacie had been kidnapped, after saving the whole damn world, Stacie and Aubrey were finally getting their moment. Their normal, human, beautiful moment.

"By the ancient rites and laws we uphold…" Thea cleared her throat a little as the ceremony was brought to a close, determined to hold herself together for the last of it, "The two of you are now bound to each other. Your souls, your lives, your beings are now one. May your love sustain you for the rest of your lives. You may now kiss the bride."

Stacie leant forward as the orbs swirled around her and Aubrey, kissing her softly at first. It was Aubrey who deepened it, pulling Stacie as close as she could manage, their tears of joy mingling together on their cheeks. They were consumed in the light of their orbs and each other, deaf to the cheers and whooping and whistles of the people around them. All that mattered, for that particular moment at least, was each other. They were married, after everything that had happened between them defeating Gail and defeating her daughters that had almost torn them apart for good, they were finally, finally married.

"I love you." Aubrey mumbled, resting her forehead against Stacie's, "I love you so much…"

"I love you too." Stacie beamed, tucking the stray locks that Aubrey had left loose from the bun her hair was in behind her ears, stroking her cheeks with her thumbs, "So much Bree. I can't believe you're my wife…"

"Believe it Stace." Aubrey chuckled, brushing her nose against Stacie's, "Because you're stuck with me now."

Stacie giggled softly as they pulled apart, finally back in the room with their family as they walked back down the aisle and through into the large reception hall across the way. It was there that they were immediately wrapped in Beca and Chloe's arms, embracing them back just as tightly.

"Look at us…" Beca chuckled as they pulled back, stood in a huddled group as the rest of their guests filed in behind them, "Just a couple of married couples."

"That was… so clumsy." Aubrey shook her head a little, Beca rolling her eyes heavily.

"Nice to know marriage isn't going to stop you raining on my parade…" Beca grumbled as Chloe wrapped her arms around her waist, kissing her cheek.

"I'm always here to crap on your ideas Beca." Aubrey grinned, "That's my job."

"Whatever." Beca rolled her eyes again, a grin creeping onto her face, "Let's get wasted."

Get wasted they did, and then some, a long and loud party exactly what they needed after what had been an incredibly difficult and hellish year. They danced, they laughed, they cried happy tears, but most of all they enjoyed a night that was so distinctly human that they could almost believe they were for a moment. Stacie got her dance with her sister like she'd always wanted, Aubrey watching on fondly as they performed some choreography that they'd perfected as teenagers. Sam sat next to her, chuckling softly as he watched his daughters.

"I still have no idea where they learnt that…"

"Me neither…" Aubrey shook her head, "But they're clearly enjoying themselves."

"That is true." Sam grinned, gently wrapping his arm around Aubrey's shoulders, "Are you?"

"God yes." Aubrey beamed as turned her attention from her wife to Sam, "Even my parents are getting along tonight, you have no idea how much of a miracle that is."

"I think I saw Chloe having a stern word with them…" Sam raised his eyebrow, a grin tugging at his lips, "She dragged them over to a corner, everything short of pulling them over by their ears."

Aubrey laughed softly, emotion sparkling in her eyes as she leant her head on Sam's shoulder, "Chloe's always been so good to me y'know? Even when we were kids, she's always just been there…"

"You've got a good family around you Aubrey." Sam squeezed her shoulders, "You're really lucky, and now it's even bigger."

"I wish you were still here…" Aubrey sighed softly, "Y'know, for good, not just tonight."

"Me too." Sam pressed a gentle kiss into the crown of Aubrey's head, "But you'll all be okay without me. And I won't be far, I promise. Got to watch over my family after all."

Aubrey lifted her head to smile warmly at him, Sam tutting softly as her brushed the tear from her cheek, "No tears mi amore. Not for me, and certainly not on your wedding day."

"Okay." Aubrey nodded, clearing her throat a little, "I'm glad you're here Sam. Even if it's just for tonight."

Aubrey and Stacie's wedding wasn't the last big event that they had coming up in the few weeks following their victory over Khalida. A week later, Vampire Hunters Incorporated found themselves back at the Academy along with Thea, Tony, Leo, Michael, Olivia, and Emily watching proudly on as Ellie crossed the stage towards the Dean.

"Ellie Watts, you may only be fifteen, but you have proved yourself as capable, as wise, and as powerful as a witch twice your age. You have faced off against the most dangerous and evil creatures that exist and not only triumphed but saved lives along the way."

The Dean was beaming warmly at her, Ellie's chest swelling with pride even as she ducked her head, embarrassed. She was just doing as she'd been taught, not just by the Academy but by the family she had found in the worst of times. They would do exactly the same.

"It is my great pride to not only allow you to graduate early, but to facilitate it as you are bestowed with your familiar and go off into the world to save and to serve."

Thea got up from her seat with the rest of her family, Ellie blushing furiously as they all whooped and cheered for her, rolling her eyes a little as Thea approached the stage with a broad grin, spell book in hand. She cupped Ellie's face in her hands for a moment, looking fit to burst for a moment before clearing her throat a little and setting the book, now open, on the pedestal the Dean had been standing in front of moments ago.

"Ellie." Thea cleared her throat a little to dispel the emotion from her voice for a moment, "It is normally a mother's duty to perform the rite to unite a familiar to their witch, and I know that today of all days you will be feeling the loss of yours quite keenly."

Ellie's eyes welled with tears as she nodded a little, Thea smiling kindly at her as she addressed Ellie rather than the room full of graduates and their families.

"But I hope you know that I am as proud of you as I am of the rest of my children, and that even though you might not feel it sometimes, you are as much of a Conrad as Mike, Tony, Stacie and Iz. I am beyond honoured that you asked me to stand in for your mother today, and I know that this is not a duty to be taken lightly. Whether you realise it or not, you are a Conrad now, and we could not be prouder or more in awe of you if we tried."

There were whoops and cheers of agreement from her found family again as Ellie giggled tearfully, wiping at her tears with the back of her hand.

"My late husband said the same thing to each of my children the day they were bestowed with their familiars…" Thea's eyes misted over at the mention of Sam, pushing away her grief as she forced her smile to stay in place, "And it's what I will now say to you. This is both the greatest gift and the greatest burden you will ever receive. You will be able to change so many things with a simple wave of your hands, but sometimes there will be situations that fall at your feet that you cannot change with all the magic in the world. And in those moments you might feel lost, you might feel hopeless, but it's where your greatest power comes from. Compassion, understanding and love that transcends any magic that has ever existed."

Thea paused for a second to regain her composure as Ellie sniffed softly, "Ellie you have proved over and over again that you contain more compassion, love, and understanding than people twice, even three times your age. I know that you are destined for great things, greater things than any of us can ever imagine. Are you ready to start that journey?"

"Yes." Ellie nodded, wiping away her tears again as she nodded furiously, "I am. I'm ready."

"Come and stand in this circle." Thea gestured to the circle made of crystals that Ellie had watched many of her classmates stand in earlier, waiting patiently as she did, "Ellie Watts, you have been bestowed with great powers and taught how to use them fairly and justly. Do you swear to only use them to bring about peace, harmony and good, in this realm and any other?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to protect the innocent and the mortal, no matter the cost?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to respect and uphold the ancient laws and traditions that we hold sacred, from now until the moment of your death?"

"I swear."

Thea grinned, nodding approvingly as she moved from behind the pedestal, setting her book on the floor in front of her as she held her arms outwards, purple magic starting to form under her hands. Ellie stood in the centre of the circle, looking equal parts terrified and excited as she fought to remain looking calm and collected despite it, eyes fixed with Thea's.

"Spirits of the ancient one, see this witch before you grown, let her powers like rivers run, bring forth the familiar her soul has shown." Thea chanted, purple streams of light starting to swirl around the circle Ellie stood in. She repeated the spell four times, streams swirling and tangling around Ellie as she waited with bated breath for it to work.

The light slowly faded, and as it did, Ellie's face lit up. Stood in front of her, letting out a happy yap was a fox with flame coloured fur, it's tail swishing as it stepped towards her, rubbing itself against her legs as she crouched down to scratch behind it's ears.

"Hi!" Ellie giggled as the fox licked her cheek, "It's nice to finally meet you too Fiero."

There was a thunderous amount of noise from the Conrads as Ellie continued to pet Fiero, him as happy with his companion as she was, weaving in and out between her legs as she watched with a loving adoration. They were so proud of Ellie, of overcoming everything that had fallen in her path, of how powerful and talented she was already. To see her so happy with her familiar after everything else, was truly the icing on the cake.

Chloe glanced over at Emily who was cheering just as loudly as the rest of them, but had a conflicted (albeit very subtly) expression on her face. Chloe felt her heart clench in sympathy, of course Emily was conflicted. She was so proud of her best friend, and delighted for all her future now held, but with Ellie graduating, Emily would be here all on her own, stuck in limbo as she waited for someone to find a way to break the curse that left her unable to be around the people she loved for fear of inadvertently hurting them.

A plan started to form in Chloe's mind as the graduation ceremonies drew to a close, thankful that Katherine Junk had joined them to celebrate Emily's success as well. It was after a quiet word with her, Thea and Aubrey that Chloe solidified her plan, beaming from ear to ear as she approached Emily.

"Hey Em!"

"Oh, hi!" Emily beamed. It was no surprise that Emily had gotten quiet close with both Chloe and Beca since meeting them, they were perhaps the only people in the world that understood what it was like to have no control over a power and a force that could so severely damage the people they cared the most about, "That was great wasn't it? Ellie did so great!"

"She really did." Chloe nodded, sitting next to Emily on the bench she had settled on, watching Ellie laugh with Tony and Mike as Fiero played with Tony's bobcat familiar Sabrina, Michael's owl familiar Iris watching with a level of amusement, "You know she's coming to work with us right? Sort of like an intern thing until she's eighteen?"

"Yeah." Emily's grin grew tight as she averted her gaze to her feet, "That's um… she's really excited about it."

"You're going to really miss her aren't you?" Chloe frowned softly, resting her hand on top of Emily's gloved one, her heart aching at the thought that Emily never took them off in case she hurt someone by accident.

"I mean, of course." Emily shrugged, sniffing softly, "But it's okay. She's going to go and do amazing things, how can I be mad about that?"

"Em." Chloe's tone was gentle as she gently nudged her with her shoulder, "She's not the only one coming to work with us."

"What?" Emily looked up, confusion in her face, but Chloe could see a spark of hope in her eyes, "What do you mean?"

"Well…" Chloe grinned, practically vibrating with excitement. This was such a good idea, "You remember when we first met and I was working out of the office rather than in the field with everyone else?"

Emily simply nodded, Chloe knowing that she had probably figured out where she was going with this but wasn't daring to get her hopes up until she was certain.

"I've spoken to Aubrey and Thea, and your mom, and we all think that it would be really good for you if you came and did the same thing." Chloe beamed, "You'd be our researcher, you'd be able to help us remotely from the office while we're out on missions, it'll be like you're actually out there, just without putting you in danger or without you having to needlessly worry about hurting someone you don't mean to. What do you think?"

"I-" Tears welled in Emily's eyes as a broad grin broke across her face, "Are you serious?! I'd love that!"

"Yeah?" Chloe squealed a little as she wrapped her arms around Emily, "Oh I'm so glad! You and Ellie are going to move in to our headquarters later, Becs and I have got this new place next door so you'll be able to have a room each too, it's going to be so great!"

"Are you sure?" Emily pulled away from Chloe, brushing her hair back from her face, "Because I don't want to be in the way, I promise I'm going to work so hard-"

"Emily, I'm certain. We all are." Chloe nodded, giving her gloved hands a tight squeeze, "Welcome to the team Em. You're officially a member of Vampire Hunters Incorporated."

"Alright then." Aubrey stood in front of the desk in their office a few days later, a warm feeling in her heart as she looked around her.

Emily and Ellie had settled in very quickly, Ellie beyond delighted that her new best friend was coming to join her and the two of them had been virtually inseparable as Aubrey had run them through the basics. Beca and Chloe had bought the property next door, wanting a little space now they were newlyweds, but not wanting to be far from Aubrey and Stacie or their work, and a passageway had been constructed between their front room and the office so that no matter what time of day it was they could come and go as they pleased. Stacie was, on the surface at least, dealing with everything that had happened fairly well, but Aubrey hadn't missed the night terrors or the vacant looks she would get, knowing that Stacie had a long way to go before she could be considered 'fine', nevermind better.

Still, knowing that her team had gotten a little bigger, that her family was expanding made Aubrey happier than she had ever thought she could be. It was a far cry from the way she saw her vampire hunter career going, but she no longer understood how she ever thought she could go at this alone. Aubrey would be nothing without all of them here to help her.

"We're in at the deep end by the looks of things." She cracked her neck a little, turning to the corkboard behind her.

"When are we not?" Beca groaned, "It's really not worth being this good at our jobs y'know? Can we not just have the easy cases for a change?"

Aubrey shot her a glare before she continued, "The Council have confirmed that both Gail's daughters and Khalida have been vanquished, and the artefacts that they had stolen have been returned to various places for safekeeping, including here."

Aubrey indicated behind her where Thea's collection had indeed been restored once more, "But there was a question left unanswered once all the information was collected, a problem that's been highlighted that could be quite troubling. Other Realm creatures are being killed off the books, it has nothing to do with any of us, nor did it have anything to do with their plans either, and that's quite troubling."

"Why?" Ellie frowned softly, "Surely it's a good thing?"

"No." Stacie shook her head, "If it's not the Council, and it's outside of normal warring factions, it suggests there's something else out there killing them. Something with no loyalties and no problem killing off potential allies. We need to figure out who, what, and why. Y'know, and stop them of course."

"So where do we start?" Emily sat up a little straighter, eagerness rolling off her in waves.

"We-" Aubrey was interrupted by the office phone ringing, crossing the room to answer it.

"We have a landline?" Ellie arched her eyebrow a little, "I didn't even know they made those anymore…"

"Neither did I kid." Beca smirked, "Posen's just old fashioned."

Aubrey rolled her eyes as she picked up the receiver, electing to ignore Beca, "Vampire Hunters Incorporated, Aubrey Posen speaking. I see… uh huh… okay, we'll be right there."