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

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

Part XCIX…

Colin Robinson, now on the white and for him, disturbingly bouncy sofa…Having managed to reach it when briefly overcome by some terrible draining force of unknown Good.

As if some specific and for him, dreadful, event had just occurred, sucking back the lifeforce he'd drained out of others early, having kept for strategic reasons his oath not to drain…Much…At the reception…

However, in Ginny's moody and young daughter Ellie, his reluctant companion on the couch…Who'd intended to get up as soon as the bald dork in beige suit and pants…God, why don't guys like this just off themselves so we don't have to look at them?…Had chosen to sit down near her on the huge couch.

Like, who is this guy, even among this vast pool of losers?

But, for some reason…Long day…Ennui at this collection of old farts and losers? She was finding herself unable to follow her instinct to just get up and…

Nothing like a surly 19- year old to recharge the old energy vamp batteries…Colin thinks, contentedly.

But what the hell…And I mean that literally…Has happened?

Well, since no one is likely gonna be comin' by to bring me up to speed...Maybe I'd do best to get up and chat with our ladies. At least one or two of the brain-dead sorta human zombies are sure to know a little about this.

Above all, what's this crap about Nandor and Dracula battling it out downstairs over a board game with that bitch the revived, reincarnated, whatever…Cicely…In attendance? By all rights they should have moved to a real Unlife fight to the final Death and I should be getting a power surge royale from down there. Not to mention I want to be in at the kill…Or final draining.

Damn that coward Nandor…I know, he's surrendering to Dracula's little girl and her once mighty, now pathetic Dad. Worthless son of a…

Still…I'm not getting that drain of total defeat that his dusting for "oh, so" noble reasons would bring…

No…He eyes Ellie. "Hey, Colin Robinson, the Cravensworth's accountant and a temp worker for your mom. You are Ginny's girl, right?"

"Yeah…" wanly contemptuous look.

"You know this place was once a sanitary landfill for the City of New York, all the way back to the Dutch?"

"What?" she vaguely murmurs.

"The laws on sanitation in Dutch colonial times are just fascinating, I've made a thorough study…"

Yes, my recharge proceeds apace. Patience, the trap of the ev, second only to monotony. Round two is coming, you bastards.

The basement battlefield…

"Better?" Dr. Acura pats Nandor. "Abraham used cocaine with me, but that was all we had then. Fortunately one benefit of my nature was I couldn't get addicted, at least not at first. But I find a shot of Valium helps." He returns syringe to his medical pouch, wisely brought along in his suit.

"Sorry you're in such pain, Mr. Relentless." Althea, sympathetically. "It comes to all redeemed vampires and demons. My Will's was awful. I had to keep him locked in a cellar for weeks."

"All those poor people…And it wasn't a fair post-battle defeat slaughter…" Nandor sighs. "Thank you, it's better now, a bit."

"Sorry I had to hold you down, sir." Althea, apologetically. "It might have really frightened everyone upstairs."

"No, no…Quite all right. You are a strong one, my dear." Nandor, wan smile.

"Isn't she though?" Dracula, fondly.

"Well, it's transferred demonic strength, but thanks. I'm glad you're feeling a little better, sir." Althea, reperching glasses.

"It takes time…Well, frankly…You learn to live with it but it never quite goes away, the guilt." Acura sighs. "Still, knowing some good can be done, some atonement can be made, over time. It does help."

"I see. But Vlad…Pardon, Phillippe...?" Nandor, sudden thought.

"Between us, Vlad's fine, Nandor…" Acura smiles. "What?"

"Those poor women…Martha, Susan…" Nandor sighs. "Admittedly it is far superior bondage than what some women endured with me in the past, even in the human days…But…"

"That's always one of the hardest things. The truly dead are, well…Truly dead. And you can mourn and regret and you will…And spend a good deal of your existence atoning for…And you will. But they are at peace." Dracula, wan smile. "But it's always the living and Unliving still suffering because of you…" nod.

"But…What do I do about them?" Nandor sighs. " A little more practical, a bit less philosophical here, Vlad. No offense. Are they…Free? Of me?"

"Dad does get that way…Musing on the philosophic." Althea notes, with smile.

"Really?" Nandor eyes Dracula. "I can remember a time…"

"Indeed…When we met, I impaled first, thought much later, if at all. But, I will say, when I was still a human with all my many flaws, I did care about philosophy and studied the greats. If in part to impress Elisabete…" smile.

"But as to the practical? Well, so far as I know how it works…" Acura shrugs. "Your hold over them will weaken, over several days. And you will still have some power of hypnosis and mind control which you can use to soften the blow for them. Erase a few potentially gruesome memories…"

"Well, I never had them kill anyone to date." Nandor shrugs. "Perhaps secure a few corpses with Guillermo…"Oh, dear…" he shakes head. "My poor Guillermo. Susan."

"Oh, yes…" Dracula nods. "That may well play out badly. Still…I actually think…"

"She'll kill the poor boy…" Nandor sighs.

"I doubt it. She'll be quite confused after your hold weakens, which could be several days. And frankly I do think the girl likes him, in her own heart, after a fashion."

"I did get that impression…" Nandor nods. "But that may not stop her from really resenting the mind control bit…And taking it out on him."

"It is a tricky situation." Dracula nods. "But having seen them together, I do get the feeling there's some real feeling on her part. Although…" he winces. "I did warn him he might have to pay a serious price for his actions here, with you."

"He did become your familiar voluntarily, didn't he?" Althea points out. "Frankly, if you and I, sir, had met in battle…And he was assisting you…" hard stare. "I understand how you feel, sir." softening at Nandor's distressed look. "I don't mean to be unfair…"

"That was my fault, his fascination with the vampiral. I painted for him a glamorous portrait of the Unlife of a vampire all these years…" Nandor, hastily, shaking head.

(Cut to camera with Guillermo…Blinking…

"Really? He said that? Seriously…?" Shakes head.

"Well, I guess it's nice he was blaming himself…But…"

"Seriously? A glamorous portrait?")

"She honestly doesn't, Nandor old fellow." Acura sighs. "There's not a cruel bone in Althea's body. But, my daughter is the Slayer and she must consider her Duty even and especially when it may seem harsh. Which is why in these grey situations I persuade her to let me try to deal with things…Particularly those on the edge of Redemption."

"I'm not opposed to trying to save rather just stake…Honestly, I've really come to prefer it." Althea notes, sadly… "I do my best to help Dad save when we can…I wish we could save 'em all…But sometimes, I have to do my Duty and protect others…I even killed my own husband." Downcast look. "Twice, once human, when I thought I was saving him, once vamp when I let him go, not knowing who he and I were. But even though it did work out for us, I do understand, sir."

"Really? You mean the tales of the Slayer who loved too well but not too wisely…?"

"Yeah, that's me…But I was…Am…Wise to love William." She beams.

"Though you are still too young in this life to love, love him, daughter." Dracula, sternly now. "And he must properly ask for your hand, again, when he re-enters your life. Your mother and I are both dead set on that, as is your auntie."

Nandor nodding…Glad to see Vlad still remains a strict paterfamilias on those things that matter.

"Yes, papa." She nods. "But William will do the right thing, he always does." Fond beam. "And I know he's near…"

"Well, let him keep a proper distance between you till you are finished college and over twenty-one." Dracula notes.

"But we can date…?" she raises forefinger.

"Properly chaperoned." Acura, firmly. "Your mom agrees with me here. Now, now…" As she looks rather distraught, to Nandor's concern…

Maybe a bit too stern, Vlad? Not wanting to interfere…But the kid's clearly crazy about the boy and she was married to him before…

"We do believe Will is a fine young man, he won't fail you. You've waited decades, you can wait a few more years." he pats her.

"I guess…" she sighs.

"And you know this has nothing to do with…Your mom's counterpart and him. Indeed I appreciate how he cared for her."

"I know, Dad."

Nandor, blinking…

"Long story…" Althea notes, wiping eyes. "William helped Mom's vampiral counterpart survive…She was used as bait to lure him to his transformation."

"All worked out, in the end." Dracula agrees. "And I will be proud to have William for a son-in-law, just lets, let you grow back up a bit, ok my girl?" fond smile. "I'm sure he'll understand our feelings."

"Oh, please…William? He'll want to wait till I'm thirty and he has something to offer a woman." Sigh.

"Well, he's a gentleman of the truest sort. But it'll be fine." Dracula beams.

"I'm sure it will, my dear." Nandor agrees. "But, I must speak to Susan before my hold on her weakens…This is all my fault." He, anxiously. "You say I can hypnotically control her yet? Maybe I can get her to let him down easy and be satisfied tearing me limb from limb, while sparing him. Oh…And poor Martha, what am to do with or to, her?"

"The 'letting her down easy' thing might be a way to go…" Dracula notes. "Best to speak to her as soon as possible. And before your friends notice any changes and try to 'assist' with her control while they remain unsouled and unredeemed."

"Well, I suppose I must. And perhaps, given, unlike you, Vlad, I have no one waiting for me to be 'Redeemed'…Unless my horse Jahan…" hopeful tone. "I should tell Martha myself, whatever price I must pay…" Nandor nods. "But, as she most likely will wish to kill me, perhaps it's best I speak to Susan first. Before poor Guillermo comes to harm of both the emotional and physical, at her hands. Then Martha may do as she will…"

"Well, ole fellow…" Acura ponders. "Since I've come to know her and Guillermo a bit, perhaps I could speak to Miss Susan. And given the other lady is a bit older, it might be best for you to deal with her as soon as possible."

Dad…You old matchmaker…Althea gives her father a shrewdly amused look.

"What can I say, Nandor? Redemption is a joyous gift, but it must be earned, and a price is paid." Acura sighed to Nandor's anxious look. "I assure you, old friend, I'll see to it Susan does no harm to Guillermo, of the physical variety. As to his heart, well. I can tell you he is prepared to face the consequences of his actions."

"Indeed…Well, I hope he is aware those could be some very serious consequences."

"He is. A fine young man in many respects…" Acura notes. "Actually, I was hoping he might just possibly be…"

"But he's not. Uh, no offense, Mr. R." Althea, solemnly. "I know Mr. De la Cruz is doing his best, but he is not my Will reborn. And I don't say that cause he's a bet hefty for my inclination. If he were William, I'd never even notice a few extra pounds."

"But a worthy Van Helsing in any case. You can be proud of him, Nandor, he's risen to the occasion very nobly, in spite of his rough start. And I believe, Fate, not Evil, brought him to you and the others, to help you in your Redemption." Dracula nods.

"Really? Guillermo?" Nandor stares.

("He said that?" Guillermo sighs to camera at later interview. "After all that had happened…?"

"Oh, don't be a baby about it, boy!" Nandor's voice.)

"Well…What now?" Nandor sighs to Dracula. "What about my friends the Cravenworths? And Colin Robinson?"

"Well, their paths are their own…" Dracula notes. "But you can assist them, if you wish."

"Does that mean…?" Nandor pantomines staking.

"Hopefully, not. But you can leave that to Althea…" Dracula shrugs. "She's the best in that department and will do a merciful and quick job."

"I see…"

"But we are not expecting to have to go that way, sir." Althea quickly, reassuring tone. "The Cravenworths are very close to Redemption. Their souls are hovering near."

"Oh? Good. It'll be nice to have them still around." Nandor beams. "What can I do?"

"For now, just wait." Acura notes. "Try to conceal your Redemption for the moment using the powers you still have and let things progress as they will. Protect your former enthrallees and theirs. If and when your help is needed in the Redemption thing, we'll call on you."

"Dad?" Althea, carefully…Remember…Her look said.

"Oh, yes. A dark enemy and its allies lie in wait yet, Nandor. Be on guard." Dracula warns.

"Could you be a bit more specific?" Nandor asks. "That would help, you know."

"I wish we could." Acura sighs. "We're not yet fully sure who or what is trying to prevent your and your friends' redemptions but someone is very eager and using all the Dark Powers at their disposal."

"So…It's a battle then?" Nandor, beaming now. "And you and I, ole friend, are back on the same team."

"Indeed." Acura nods, beaming as well.

"And, since you should now be able to handle a good cup of wine?" he grins.

"Oh, my God…My God…I'm saying it!" Nandor notes. "And it's not burning my damned tongue off!…Wine, eh? Sounds good."

"We'll toast my girl's victory here." Dracula smiles at Althea, indicating the battlefield. "But carefully, it's not time for your friends to learn of your Redemption. And watch the 'Gods' as well."

"Right…" Nandor nods. "But, I still feel I should speak to Martha…At least cushion her dethrallment as best I can."

"Of course. But I'm afraid you may need to use your remaining hypnotic powers to keep her under a bit longer, Nandor. At least till we save your friends and defeat our common enemy. Well, hows about that cup of wine? It's long overdue, my friend."

Althea beaming…

"None for you, Althea." Stern look to her sigh.

"Yes, Dad."