What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."

Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar...

Part LXXXXVII…

[Note-Naturally we are diverging from the new season storyline into AU territory]

The great dining hall of the New Residence…

Colin Robinson in promised brand new beige suit, identical to all previous of his, standing at the stairway from his basement bedroom section…Surveying the gathering…

"Well, here I am and ready to party hearty…" he smiles coolly at camera. "You folks enjoying yourselves? You'll notice I'm retaining my draining, a promise I made to the other guys. I see our Cravenworths are having a ball showing off the place…The slaves seem to be having a nice time…But where's…?" he looks round. "I know I sensed Nandor downstairs a moment ago, what's he up to?" eyeing camera crew.

"He's what? With whom?" sudden grin…

"He and Dracula…?" lowered voice… "And Dracula's dear little girl? Playing a wargame?"

"Cool…" nod.

Hardly the wargame I'm hoping to see but nice to know they're back to fighting if only in fantasy…He suddenly blanches, a chill sweeping over…

"I sense a great disturbance in the Unforce." He notes, a bit stunned.

"What? What line from what movie?" staring.

"This is quite a party, Lady Cravensworth…" Billie, carefully, to Nadja's immediate beam. She having come down to fetch wine glasses for Char and Martha, the three still on tour of the rest of the house.

Char especially intrigued by the bedroom and its dual single (coffin)/king beds, allowing as Nadja had explained the ability to snuggle, etc as desired and yet retreat to private space without requiring the separate bedrooms. Might be good for her and Shaun, when one wants a moment's peace but don't wanna send the poor schnook to the doghouse.

"You send Shaun to live with dog?" Nadja had asked, interested, before generously offering to do a wine run, refusing Martha's earnest offer to go.

"Aren't you the dear one? Actually the 'Lady' is not yet mine to be flaunting…" smile. "I must…What is it you say?...Get after?...The Mister Cravensworth to be seeing to securing it, though he is, we think the last or one of the last of the line."

"Well, it's so great of you to have us…Spectacular place." Billie notes, looking round.

"That it is…" Eloise, beside her, nodding.

"Isn't it? Well, it is all due to you dear girls and our Jennifer that we found and acquired it." Nadja, suddenly a bit downcast. "Excuse me, will you? I must see about a few things with my husband who will never give up his talking with the Professor and his friends there." She indicates Laszlo and the group about him, all the men and Jacqueta talking excitedly while Jennifer, holding Suzette, remained amused. "You ought to join us upstairs to see the place, Miss Billie. You both look lovely, dears!" she moves off.

"Nice lady." Billie notes.

"She has her ups-and-downs that I've seen but yeah, pretty nice in general…" Eloise agrees.

"How did they make so much dough? You know, Anita could never find a book by Mr. Cravensworth…" Billie shrugs. "Inheritance?"

"Probably…" Eloise nods. "But isn't that the way in Europe? Sides, I imagine the guy uses a pen name." Billie nodding…

Might not hurt to suggest Mr. C convince Anita she did find one or two…Eloise thinks. Just a lil' hypnosis, no biting.

"I'd like to taste a bit more of the grub, but then we could go up if you like?" she notes to Billie who nods.

That is quite the spread…Eyeing the main table and sideboards…

"Is that caviar? I wouldn't mind a stab at that." The two making for the table spot…

Ginny making her way to Jennifer, frowning briefly at her Ellie still sulking on the couch…

"Jen? Gotta sec?" she asks.

"I think I got a few hours." Jen wryly. "Davy! I'm going to talk with Ginny a mo, Susie's with me!"

David waving briefly from the group in heated discussion of the proper placement of the Yuan dynasty in Chinese history.

"Yeah, hon? What's up?" Jen eyes Ginny as she leads her to a somewhat secluded corner.

"Van Helsing's up…In Phyllis." Ginny hisses. "Gui spotted him but says he's got the doc's promise not to pull anything…What should we do, Jen?"

"What Gui says, Gin. If he trusts the doctor, we should heed the Boss."

"I guess…" Ginny sighs. "But what if Gui's been fooled? I know he generally knows what he's doing but…I mean, to show up just before the guys make their getaway?"

"I'm sure Gui knows what he's doing…Don't panic, Ginny." Jen put a hand on her arm. "Everything's fine so far and will be. But we'll keep an eye or two peeled."

"I don't wanna go over Gui's head." Ginny, fretting a bit. "But I think we should tell Ma…Laszlo…" as a waiter, Derek in fact, passed.

"Lets check with Gui, see what he thinks." Jen suggests.

"Ok…But if anything looks wrong…" Ginny, nervously. "It's just we're so close to saving them…I don't wanna offend Gui, not for the world, but…"

"He'll won't take it badly. Come on, lets get over to him. So, Gui told you about him after spotting him in her?"

"Actually, I sensed him…" Ginny shrugs. "Holdover from his possession, I guess."

"I'll take that…" Jen happily takes wine glass offered by waitress waved off by Ginny, managing a hold on Suzette with the other.

"Come on, Susie…Aunt Gin and I need to find Uncle Gui while Mommy can still stand…" she cooed, Ginny peering for Gui and spotting him standing chatting apparently with a short young waiter, urging her on.

"Anything wrong, girls?" Erika, Jacqueline close up behind her, bearing a plate of food, addresses them.

"Not really…Not yet…" Ginny shakes head. Erika eyeing Jen who gives a slight wry look.

Jacqueline nibbling, regarding the others calmly.

"You sure?" Erika asks.

"Phyl seems to be hosting Dr. Van Helsing…" Jen explains. "But Gui's spoken to her/him and…"

Erika, anxious look… "Van Helsing here? Tonight?"

"Is that the fellow…The ghost…?" Jacqueline nods carefully. Managing a quick shrug to the camera crew when the others are not watching her. No idea, friends.

"Yeah. Lets not go overboard, guys. Gui says he's promised to behave." Jen sighs.

"I just wanna ask Gui if we can tell Laszlo…" Ginny, a hair calmer now.

"That's probably the best thing to do." Jacqueline, nodding.

"Guillermo's sure about this?" Erika, anxiously. Eloise with Billie across the dining room, noticing the other women nervously talking, steering Billie away from a view to a platter of tenderloin bits. My kinda caviar, she grins to her companion.

"I mean…Now? Of all times?" Erika eyes the others by her. Looking round the room.

"Where's Master Nandor?"

"He went with Dr. Acura and Miss Acura downstairs…" Jen notes. "And he gave strict orders we weren't to interfere with their encounter."

"Yes, but this…" Erika, pausing as a waiter, Claude in fact, came to them.

"Oh, I'll take some…" Jacqueline, eagerly taking a glass of white wine. "Thank you." She smiles.

"This changes things, doesn't it?" Erika continued, nervously.

"We have our orders." Jen notes. "Master Nandor can handle himself and we have a truce. Come on…Lets go find Gui and get the low-down and then we can speak to Master Laszlo. And whatever you do, don't say a word to Martha when she comes back down. Or Sue when she does."

"Where is Sue?" Ginny asks. "Did Gui send her for something? That's two of us not here…" nervous now.

"She was a little potted earlier from the wine and her last bleeding…" Jen shrugs. "I think Gui got her to go upstairs, she was headed up with Phyl when I last saw her."

"I don't like that…" Erika shakes head.

"Me neither…" Ginny agrees.

"Well, here she is…" Jacqueline, dryly. "Maybe we should ask her." As Phyllis came over, bearing wine glass.

"Ladies…A very fine evening, eh?" smile.

Erika, Ginny offering grim stares. Jennifer, Jacqueline regarding her calmly…Jen offering a smile.

"If I'm here with you, I can hardly be harming your friends." She notes. "And I have no special abilities in your friend's body."

"Why are you here, Doc?" Jen asks, friendly smile. "You're welcome, more or less, as per the truce, but we gotta be concerned. And we've never seen you stay so long."

"Welcome's a bit much…" Ginny frowns.

"Ginny…Come on…" Jen sighs. "We can be polite."

"To the guy who seems to enjoy taking us over…" Ginny glares.

"I apologize for that. It's only that your enthralled state makes my possession a bit easier…" Phyllis notes. "As for why I'm here…To witness a special event…"

"I knew it…" Ginny fumes. Erika tensing…

"No, my dear Virginia…I refer to the encounter of your friend Nandor the Relentless and his old friend and enemy, my dear friend, Dracula or Dr. Acura as he uses in the present. And to chat with my old friend and his dear daughter, in the flesh, so to speak."

"You had to use Phyl? Why not a guy, one of the waiters, maybe?" Ginny frowns.

"As I explained, while I could…It's more difficult to do so with the unthralled."

"I think he's telling the truth, guys." Jen, urging.

"But you're here, with us…" Erika points out.

"To ease your minds…" Phyllis smiles gently. "Nandor and Dracula will be up shortly and I'll talk with them then. I'm sure you all feel more comfortable knowing you have me in sight."

"Up to a point, Doctor." Ginny frowns. "But only for the sake of the truce, given our masters' and the Mistress' orders to keep the peace."

"Thank you. I truly mean you and your friends no harm."

"You never do when you kill them." Erika, accusing. "You're sure you're saving them."

"I do but in this case I honestly mean I have no intention of engaging with them tonight."

"Guys…" Jen, appealing for calm… "Lets give him the benefit of the doubt while he stays put, at least."

"That's all…While he stays put." Ginny, firmly.

"Which I'm content to do, Miss Virginia. By the way your daughters are charming." Warm smile. "I'm glad you haven't found yourself forced to offer them."

"They'd be honored if I did." Ginny, proudly. "As I'd be."

"I fear I would have to disagree." Phyllis, gently. "But as they are free at this moment, let me not antagonize you. Now, surely you would prefer you know my whereabouts in physical form rather than as an incorporeal being watching from the Beyond?"

"Why aren't you, Doc?" Jen asks, curious. "I don't mean that badly…I'm curious. Why not hide as a ghost?"

"Ghosts aren't all-seeing or all-powerful, Jennifer. And it's quite nice after so long after my death to have a moment in the living world, especially on a night like this." Sipping at the wine.

"I always did appreciate a fine wine…As did my friend Dracula, especially after his redemption." Smile.

"You could fight us now, as Phyllis…" Ginny notes. Though rather more calmly…

"Only as Phyllis…I'd say you ladies could overwhelm me with embarrassing ease." Smile. "And, of course, your friends…"

"How long do you stay, Doctor?" Jacqueline, rather pleasantly.

"Well…I wouldn't mind staying out the party." Phyllis smiles. "But at least long enough to speak with Nandor and Dracula."

"We'll need to be there." Ginny, firmly.

"As you wish, of course." Nod.

"I think your friends are havin' some chat with Dr. Van Helsing." Derek in his waiter's outfit to an anxious Guillermo who looked over.

Uh-boy.

"He tole Claude he was here…Or she? I'm not quite up on gender shifts in possession." Derek noted. "You might wanna speak with them, Guillermo. Look, Claude and I aren't here to make trouble, just to keep an eye out."

"For what?" Guillermo, frowning.

"Trouble, Claude says. And I'm here to see my girl…" smile. "Mate…" in British accent.

"I still don't…" Guillermo, staring.

"Sorry…The William in me comes and goes…" Derek notes. "But Althea's my girl, that much I know for sure, however vague the old memories. And I wanna keep a look out on her, regardless."

"On the Slayer? You?" Guillermo eyes him.

"I wasn't too effective the other night, I grant you. But to be honest, mate…I usually did have to take a back seat to her, even when a first class killer meself. But that was all right by me, so long as I got to do my bit for her."

"I guess…Look, Derek…William…I'm sorry about the other night. I did try to help you, I had to get the others out." Sheepish look.

"No problem, Guillermo. I made it out and got a bit of the ole William back in the process. It's fine, we're square. You weren't any slouch yourself, by the way. You have the knack, no question." Smile. "But you also best have the persuasive touch, with your lady friends…" he nods over at the group about Phyllis.

"Yeah…I better get over there. Just promise me you'll let me know if anything's gonna happen? So, I can get the ladies out, maybe…Somehow?"

"If I get the word from Claude. You might wanna talk to him soon as you can."

"Ok…But please…" Guillermo, anxiously. "I know I'm responsible for so much of this. I know I'll have to pay for what I've let be done. But I want to see the ladies safe and my friends…Well, not to be hurt badly. They're not responsible, you know."

"I know all too well, Guillermo." Sigh, wry smile. "It's not what happens, physically, you should worry about, friend. The real torment, sorry to say, begins when they're saved. Though the Doctor and Dracula wouldn't've tried this until they felt your folks were ready and able to get through it."

"I see. I'm sorry…And thanks."

"Take care of the ladies, mate. We'll do our best to do likewise, but you know Althea comes first with me." Derek, firmly. "Not sayin' that as any sort of threat, but I don't know myself what may come about in the next days. But Guillermo? There may be some punishment…But redemption's there for anyone, human or Un-, willing to ask for it, honestly. For whatever good reason appeals…Love, in my case." Nod, smile.

"Thanks, man." Nod.