Godric gave me a curious glance at the slight scowl on my face. I forced a smile instead, kissing him on the cheek. "It's nothing," I reassured him. He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the matter either. I made a mental note to thank the gods, stars, whoever I needed to, that I had found someone like him. Or, rather, I guess he found me. But let's not get into trivial technicalities.

The five of us moved into the kitchen to retell my tale of skipping out on the human realm to Michael. He listened in silent contemplation as I retold the events that had unfolded. It was kind of unnerving how silent he was. In fact, he didn't speak until I was finished telling everything that had happened. He simply sat there with his elbows propped up on the table, his hands laced in front of his face to hide his mouth. "Your godmother, Nahla," he began slowly, "she is the one that glamoured me to the point of not being able to be in the same vicinity of her?"

"I would imagine so," I nodded. "Their mental powers are unlike anything I've ever seen before."

"And they are excellent conduits for natural magic," Godric nodded in agreement. "She could have used the morganite Aline found to amplify her intentions."

"Like a witch?"

He nodded. "Exactly like a witch." Well at least she hadn't been entirely lying when she had made it seem like she was a witch named Elissa, I decided silently.

"Well this certainly wasn't in the plans," Michael admitted. "When you weren't in this realm, the future changed entirely. You were essentially dead. Godric's bond to you couldn't be felt, either."

"That might have only been over here," I offered, "Kaelin could smell him through me."

"He could?" Sookie asked, surprised.

I nodded. "He said he could. And Nahla didn't seem to dispute this fact either."

"Out of all of my charges," Michael rubbed his face tiredly, "you have been my most troublesome. And I've only been watching you a grand total of about six months." He gave me a meaningful glance. "If I could go grey, I would. But I've been blessed with immortal youth. So just pretend that I've begun to go grey."

"Speaking of grey," Sookie gave my guardian archangel an odd glance, "what about Alcide and Jackson? They were both worried sick. Even came into the diner looking for you."

"And Fangtasia," Eric added. I glanced at the clock. It was an ungodly hour.

"I don't think they'll kill you for waking them up. And they might be a little angry that you didn't call them sooner."

"You're right," I agreed. Godric handed me a cell phone. I gave his arm a thankful squeeze before excusing myself to go into another room. My fingers dialed my brother's number from memory.

"Godric? I realize you don't sleep but are you aware of what time it is?" Alcide grumbled sleepily into the receiver. I sat there for a few moments, unsure of how to proceed. "Godric? Did you butt-dial me? Wait. You don't even usually have pockets."

"Hi Alcide," I replied quietly.

"Aline? Is that you?"

"I've been gone for awhile apparently, huh?"

"Awhile? Jesus Christ. You've been gone for two-and-a-half-years."

"It's a long story. But I swear I didn't mean to up and disappear like that."

"Dad and I have been worried sick. We've been scouring everywhere for you. Even Northman was helping."

"He's not such a bad guy, Alcide," I chuckled. "How is Dad?"

"It varies. But I'm sure he'll pick up a little more once he sees you. Where are you, by the way?"

"At Godric's house in Dallas," I supplied easily. "It doesn't sound like we'll be staying here long. I think we may be coming back to Shreveport."

"Tonight?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Good, I'll be there with Jackson tomorrow."

"Michael and Sookie are here, too."

"Michael was allowed to come back? He nearly lost his wings for losing you as his charge."

"He didn't tell me that."

"Of course he wouldn't. He's still a man. Our pride gets the better of us most of the time." There was a pause. "I'm glad that you're alright."

"I am," I reassured him. "I met my biological father."

"How?"

"I'll have to explain everything tomorrow."

There was silence.

"Alcide, I can't see you nod."

"Goodnight, Little Optimist. I love you."

"I love you, too, Alcide."

I stared at the phone well after he had hung up until the beeping started. "Are you alright?" Godric questioned, gently taking the phone from me. He hung it up before tossing it aside carelessly.

"I just can't believe that it's been two-and-a-half-years," I shook my head. "Alcide sounded so—," I cut myself off with a firm shake of my head. "This is just going to take some getting used to."

"It will get easier with time," he pulled me onto his lap. I snuggled into his chest, allowing the calming scent of his land to lull me into a content state of peace and tranquility. "What would you think about moving back to Shreveport?"

"Well, I kind of assumed that was what you would want to do," I replied, pulling away to look at him. He nodded.

"Would it be alright with you?"

I smiled at him. "Of course. I'd be closer to Alcide. And Sookie and Jason live over in Bon Temps." I wondered how Sam was doing. Another glance at the clock informed me that it was probably too late to call him. "And Sam. If he still has a job for me. If not, I could always find work doing some sort of designing."

"You wouldn't have to work, you know." I frowned at him.

"It's sweet of you to offer to be my Sugar Daddy, but I'd rather work than lay around all day and do nothing. Besides, working might keep me out of trouble."

"I'm not sure you could ever stay out of trouble."

"Probably not," I laughed. "But I do appreciate the offer," I smiled at him, kissing him softly. "There is one thing that's been bothering me, though."

He looked at me attentively, his emerald eyes snapped to attention.

"What happened to Edgington?"

"He tried looking for you again about a year ago. But he found out that you were dead. The last that I was aware of, he is still in Mississippi with Talbot."

"I have this funny feeling that Mr. Compton is about to spill his guts to Edgington," I frowned.

"We'll worry about that when the time comes. Eric and I thought that he had kidnapped you at first," Godric admitted, "so we devised a few plans that might be useful in the event that he does manage to capture you." I gave him a curious look. He smiled wryly. It was a dark smile that sent shivers down my spine. A glimpse into the side of him that he struggled to keep at bay. If I was ever asked, at a later date, to pinpoint the exact moment that I had known I had fallen in love with this vampire—this man—it would be this moment. There was not a thing about him that I couldn't find a way to love. Maybe it wasn't a goal to love everything in its own way to some people. But that was a pretty admirable feat for me. People make me squeamish in the emotional department, for the most part. "It is probably better that you do not know," he said firmly, drawing me out of my thoughts. I gave him a small smile, kissing him once more.

"Probably not. You two might give me more ideas for whenever I decide to take over the world."

"Somehow, I don't think you need any help."

"Probably not," I repeated with a wicked grin. He chuckled, lifting me up easily and proceeding to take me to his room. Dawn had begun to break on the horizon, signaling the beginning of another day. I hoped that it was a far less eventful day. But I knew that I didn't have that much luck. Tomorrow would bring all the pains and woes that tied in with the past twenty-one (twenty-four) years of my life.

Despite the nagging feeling of dread, I fell into a deep slumber within Godric's embrace. It was anything but peaceful, however. I gave up sleeping rather early the next morning. Sookie was still asleep, no doubt tired from her squabbling with Eric. The vampires were, quite naturally, dead to the world for the next some odd hours. Michael was already in the kitchen when I entered it. He looked at me in concern.

"Nightmares?"

"Yeah," I nodded, taking a seat at the table across from him. He poured me a cup of coffee, preparing it exactly as he knew that I liked it. "I just have this bad feeling. Like something's about to go wrong. Terribly wrong. The kind of wrong you can't ever really recover from." I stared into the dark elixir before taking a heavy swig.

The archangel frowned at me, his brows pulling together. "What brought this on?"

"I've learned that things never stay this golden. And, when they are like this, there's always something lurking behind the background." Enjoying life is one of my hang-ups. I can never quite get that one down.

"Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay."

"Did you just quote Robert Frost to me?" I asked, my lips curving into a smile.

"I did," he nodded with a returned smile. "Human poetry is a guilty pleasure of mine. Just don't tell anyone." He gave me a cheeky grin. It was disarming to see him so human and yet know that he was so very far from it. Farther than Godric or myself, really.

"He's one of my favorite poets," I nodded appreciatively.

"Mine as well. He was rather obsessed with the failures and sufferings of mortals. Something that has been hidden from most of my realm. At least for the greater majority of our lives so far."

"How? Can't you all see into our realm?"

"Not exactly. Only a few of us are given that luxury. Fewer are actually allowed to walk amongst you."

"How many of you are here now?"

"Including me?" I nodded. "One."

"Tight ship."

"You're a special case," he shrugged. "I'm only permitted to be here as long as necessary."

I nodded again, studying my coffee intently as if it held the mysteries to the universe.

"I'm being compelled to leave," Michael grumbled. "Your godmother must want to visit."

"Nahla, I'm not speaking to you unless he's allowed to remain," I informed the air sharply. The uncomfortable look on Michael's face lessened to one of concern. My godmother walked into the kitchen mere seconds later.

"Sorry," she addressed Michael, "it's a precaution of our people."

"I'd like to say that I'm not offended by it," he gave her a long stare, "but I only wish the best for Aline. She is under my protection."

"Until you're through with her," Nahla sniped at him. "She is my charge for the rest of her life. Or the rest of mine. Whichever expires sooner." Then, to me, "are you alright?"

"Godric's still alive," I replied simply. "I'm not sure whether to thank you or rip your throat out."

"You made it in time."

"I nearly didn't."

"But you did."

"I don't hold our blood as valuable as you do," I reminded her sharply, "it would probably be wise not to give me a reason to spill it. Because, trust me, I will. The only reason why I made it back in time was because Bahari showed me the mirror. Without that, Godric would have met the sun."

"But our realm would have been saved and—"

"Fuck your realm." She visibly flinched at the venom in my voice. "I do not care for your realm any more than I care for the dirt on the bottom of my shoe. It exists, nothing more. I came out of sheer curiosity for the half of my heritage that could so easily leave me stranded for the greater majority of my life." She opened her mouth to speak but I held up my hand. "I'm not even close to finished, darling. So shut it and listen." Her mouth snapped closed. "Your kind cares nothing for anything but their own skins. And I want no part of it. If Maab tries to take me back to your realm, I'll do my damndest to kick her teeth up into her skull. Until then, I don't give a rat's ass what you have to say."

"I am sorry that you feel this way," Nahla replied quietly after a few moments. "Your father does care about you."

"He's not my fucking father," I whispered lowly. Michael studied me cautiously, noting how my muscles flexed impulsively. "Jackson Herveaux is my father. He took me in and raised me, no questions asked. Kaelin doesn't care about me as anything other than a weapon. He made that pretty damn clear when the only thing he was concerned about was training me how to use my powers instead of learning much about my life."

"There isn't time for that—"

"There's never time for anything. But real fathers make time."

"Aline, you aren't seeing the bigger picture."

"That's because she doesn't want to," the deep, gruff voice of Alcide interrupted. His dark brown eyes were narrowed on Nahla. Our father stood behind him, more reserved than the two of us, but still unable to conceal the blatant hate behind his dark eyes. "So you're the reason all of us thought Aline was dead?"

Nahla stiffened, remaining silent.

"Well?"

"She is," I replied when she refused yet again.

"Get the fuck out of my sight before I eat you," my brother snarled, a primal growl in the back of his throat. My faerie godmother jumped at the sound, fear flashing in her eyes.

"You wouldn't," she said slowly.

"Trust me, he would," Michael and I said in unison. I glanced at him and he shrugged. Either he had seen a possible future in which Alcide had made a buffet out of Nahla or he merely wanted her out of the house as quickly as possible.

Nahla's face screwed up into an expression of undignified disdain. "If you ever change your mind, just call for me. I will appear."

"Thanks, but I won't," I replied evenly.

"Either way, I expect to see you soon." Before I could ask what she meant, she had disappeared through the back door, fading away into a gentle mist. I scowled after her. Jackson took that opportunity to wrap his large arms around me.

"Good god, girl," he breathed into my hair before pulling away from me. "Don't you ever do that to us again." He kissed my forehead roughly before drawing me into another hug. When he had finished, Alcide pulled me into his arms.

"I can't believe it," my brother admitted. "You're alive. I've dreamed about this for two and a half years. And it's real."

I held onto him tightly. "I never would have left willingly if I had known what was going to happen," I reassured him honestly, pulling away to look him in the eyes. "I am rather surprised that Godric's still alive, though. I thought for sure that you two would tear him limb from limb if anything ever happened to me."

"Trust me," Dad told me firmly, "I wanted to at first. But then I saw what he looked like. I've never seen any man that messed up, let alone a vampire." Alcide, who is a clear projector of thoughts, was thinking that he had looked similar to how Dad had looked when mom died. It was a flattering and a saddening revelation. Double-edged sword.

"Nobody knew where you were," Alcide confirmed. "It was like you just disappeared off the face of the earth." I shifted uncomfortably. I wasn't exactly sure what they wanted me to tell them. Perhaps that I was sorry—which I was. But that was a complicated emotion. I wasn't sure if I was sorry because I had caused them pain or if I was sorry simply because I had lost time I could never get back. Or if there was even a difference between the two.

I gave him a sad smile before hugging him again. "Other than that, what have I missed?"

"Not very much in the business aspect," Jackson replied, taking a seat at the table. Alcide and I followed suit. Alcide took to sitting beside Jackson while I sat across from Alcide and next to Michael. The vampires had a rather small dining table (there were only two open seats remaining)—but I guess that was to be expected when they didn't really eat.

"Debbie tried to apologize for apparently kidnapping you," Alcide glanced at me in question.

"Oh, uh, that—right," I smiled sheepishly.

"Just because it's been almost three years doesn't mean we've forgotten that you just up and left for Germany. I get why Eric felt it was necessary but I still didn't like hearing it second hand."

"We thought it might be safer if you two didn't know. You would've tried to come to Germany and Edgington might have put two and two together. Especially since Debbie's part of his little pack."

"Was," Alcide corrected. "She's trying to clean herself up."

I was genuinely startled. "She is?"

He nodded. "She's still with Cooter. But she's trying to get off of the V. That means she can't work for Edgington anymore." He paused in thought. "She's a little bit more like the old Debbie. When we were all kids."

"Back then she wasn't so bad," I smiled grimly. "But it's hard to forget being kidnapped, beaten up, and offered up to vampires."

"She beat you up?"

I nodded. "Godric had to give me his blood. She did a pretty good bit of damage on me. Concussion, internal bleeding, immediate bruising," I ticked off on my fingers. "And I had to see her with that dirty excuse for a werewolf. So I'll include some mental scarring on top of it all."

Jackson chuckled. "No matter what anybody tells me, you aren't some little faery," he smiled at me. "You're a werewolf, through and through."

I grinned. "That's what I keep telling everyone."

After a few hours of catching up, we decided that we were hungry enough to deal with people. That meant finding somewhere in Dallas to eat. I've never been to Dallas before, so I didn't even have the slightest hint of where or what to recommend. Michael wasn't very concerned with the whole thing. Eating was a luxury for him. He didn't have to eat to survive. He was only going because he would probably be skinned alive and/or drained by a great deal of supernatural beings if he let me out of his sight. Again.

Alcide and Jackson didn't really care much, either. As long as it involved some type of meat they were pretty satisfied.

That meant we ended up going to a steakhouse in the actual city of Dallas. (Godric's home is on the outskirts of the city. Neither he nor Eric were very fond of city life it seemed. I found that slightly odd. The city has always been something that's appealed to me. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the country. There's nothing quite like it. The air is clean and fresh. But the city is a modern day convenience chock full of opportunities ripe for the taking. And I have no problem reaching out to take those opportunities up on their promised offers.)

The waitress came by to take our meal order, leaving a little disturbed at the fact that both Jackson and Alcide had asked for their steaks bleu. I got a chicken sandwich, instead, and Michael ordered a Greek salad. Steak has always been one of those things I have to be in the mood for. While Alcide and Dad discussed one of their upcoming business deals, I focused my attention on the television.

Steve Newlin was discussing how much of a threat vampires really were to humans with a little more conviction than he used to. We probably hadn't really helped matters any with our little break-in rescuing of Godric. But it could have ended up a lot worse. I'm actually very surprised there was relatively no bloodshed or violence in general. I wondered how long this reverend had to live. Surely some vampire somewhere would decide to take matters into his or own hands. They have too much to lose to have their public images slaughtered like this on daytime television.

"You look like you're trying to set the TV on fire," Dad mused, a smirk on his face. I turned my icy blue eyes on his dark eyes.

"Sorry, I just hate that guy," I replied honestly.

"Can't imagine why, he's so tolerant and pro-vampire. I wonder what he'd do if he knew there were other things."

"Probably start a modern day witch hunt. Not that he hasn't already." My frown deepened. "I swear, if I hadn't gotten there in time, he would've been the first to go. And then Nahla. Then Kaelin. And, if their monarchy works anything like ours, I would have insisted that they all go deep throat cacti and then do a couple shots of Everclear."

"And people think we're the evil masterminds," Alcide teased me with a lopsided grin. "I'm just glad none of us have ever pissed you off that much."

"I didn't think anyone can piss me off that much," I admitted ruefully. "But somehow this long lost family and that crazy-ass reverend have. It's only fair to my temper that I follow through, right?"

Before anyone could humor me with an answer, our meals arrived. During the meal we talked about things of a slightly lighter nature, leaving about an hour later. Of course, not before I had ordered something to go for Sookie. Poor girl was probably starving by now if she were awake. And, as if to prove me right, she was scrounging around the kitchen when we got back.

"Sook, I brought you food," I broke her actions of scavenging for food.

"Aline, you're an angel," she declared, happily taking the food from me. "Oh, hi Alcide," she greeted, "Jackson."

"Afternoon, Sookie," Dad tilted his head politely. Alcide gave her a gentle smile. I raised an eyebrow at him when she wasn't looking. He tried to play it off as if nothing had happened. Well, damn, Sookie, you just have guys falling all over you, I thought with a mental chuckle.

Sookie, naturally, offered us some food before digging into it. "Oh god, Ali, this is amazing," she murmured between mouthfuls.

"It sounded like something you'd like," I shrugged with a grin, sitting next to her. I turned my attention to my family. "Are you guys staying until later?"

Alcide and Jackson exchanged a glance before nodding. "We haven't seen Godric in awhile," Alcide replied first. "So we may as well hang around for a few more hours."

I raised an eyebrow. "And there won't be any staking involved?"

"No," Jackson chuckled. "I won't stake this one. Actually, I rather like him." He gave me a wry smile. "You know as much as a man can like the man that's sharing a bed with his daughter."

"I'll ignore that last part," I replied dismissively. Alcide chuckled, ruffling my hair and taking the seat at the end of the table beside me.

Thank you so much for reviewing, Jupiter Water Goddess, Ericsbee, OrangePlasticGummyBear, and MistressLoki1618! I always look forward to reading all of your reviews.

Enigma013: You're amazing for reviewing so thoroughly! That certainly was the longest review I've ever gotten. :)

Birdy Main: I'm a little confused by the point I think you were trying to make, so correct me if I'm wrong; Aline was already privy to this information, just not the information of him coming to visit. If I missed your point, please feel free to correct me. :)

Thank you all for reviewing (and subscribing!), I love getting feedback.

~Lynn