As Elizabeth and Charlie headed to his locker after lunch, Elizabeth noticed that a slightly chubby girl with curly red hair and glasses was standing by it as if she were waiting for him. "Hi," she said shyly as they approached. Her eyes were on Charlie and not looking away.

"Hi," Charlie replied. "Can I help you?"

"Actually," the girl grinned. "I want to help you." She pulled Charlie's lucky pen out of her pocket. "You dropped this, but you didn't notice."

"Thank you," Charlie smiled. "That's really important to me. I didn't even know I'd lost it."

"I've had it for a couple of days," the girl told him. "I was too shy to approach you before." She held out a hand. "I'm Hannah.

"Charlie," Charlie replied. He took Hannah's hand until Elizabeth began to squirm. To add to her anger, he finished with, "Hannah, this is my friend Elizabeth. Wanna walk to class with us?"

"Sure," Hannah flushed and laughed awkwardly while Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I would love to."

So they walked to class with a perturbed Elizabeth standing between Charlie and Hannah. She did the same thing when they all took their seats, but Charlie just leaned across her lap and talked to Hannah anyway.

"Are you new?" He asked. "You don't seem familiar to me."

Hannah nodded. "I started last week. I don't have many friends yet."

"Well, there's probably a reason for that," Elizabeth snapped. "Don't act like it's Charlie's or my obligation to mind you cause no one else will."

"Elizabeth, be nice," Charlie remonstrated as Hannah looked hurt. "Don't worry," he told the redhead. "We'd love to be your friends."

"What is this 'we' business?" Elizabeth asked. "You don't speak for me!"

"Fine," Charlie replied. "Go sit somewhere else, then. If you're gonna sit here, you have to apologize to Hannah."

"Fine," Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry I was rude, Hannah. I'm just not much of a people person."

"Well, that much is obvious," Hannah replied. "And did you have some spinach at lunch? Cause it's in your teeth."

Charlie chuckled at this as Elizabeth's jaw dropped.

"Do I have anything in my teeth?" She asked Charlie.

"Yeah," Charlie replied. "I just didn't want to mention it."

Elizabeth stood up and, cheeks red with embarrassment, ran off to the bathroom to get the spinach out of her teeth while Charlie and Hannah gave each other high fives. He was amazed at her fortitude. It seemed like she would have no trouble standing up against Elizabeth, and truth be told, Elizabeth needed more people like that in her life.

"I can't believe you want us to do a project with that Hannah girl," Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at Charlie. "I thought it would be nice if it was just us, like always!"

"Sometimes you have to meet new people," Charlie replied patiently. "What's your problem with her, anyway?"

"Well, don't you think she's a bit weird?" Elizabeth asked. "I mean, did you hear her say she kept your pen for two days after she found it? What if she's a weirdo or a stalker? What if she wants to kill you?"

Charlie chuckled. "Don't be silly. And even if she did, I could handle it. I'm a vampire, remember? You just don't like her cause she told you about the spinach in your teeth."

"And about that, you could have stuck up for me!" Elizabeth told him.

"What was there to stick up for?" Charlie replied. "It's not my fault you're not a careful eater."

"And I bet your mom won't be to happy about you getting so attached to a human," Elizabeth continued. "You might want to cut off your relationship with Hannah before your parents end it for you."

"You do remember that you're a human yourself, right?" Charlie reminded her. "Don't talk about Hannah like she's some other species. You and she are the same."

"We are not!" Elizabeth cried, even though it was true."

"Are too," Charlie replied.

"Are not," Elizabeth replied and stuck her tongue out at him. "I dress way better. Mom wouldn't let me out of the house if I dressed like Hannah dresses. I mean, she was wearing a dowdy sack that totally fits her wrong. It makes her look totally fat!"

"What's your point?" Charlie sighed.

"My point is, don't say I'm like Hannah, cause I'm not," Elizabeth replied.

"Yeah, but you're still human," Charlie replied. "No matter what your parents tell you, you'll never be as strong or as fast or whatever as the rest of us, at least until someone turns you. I love you, Elizabeth. But don't try and pretend like you're better than you are. Cause if you think about it, all you are is a human girl who got lucky. A human girl who was accepted in to our lives. And it would mean so much to me if you were as accepting of Hannah and any other human friends I make as our family has been of you."

"I think we should go out to dinner this weekend," Selina proposed to Elijah. "I'll even pay for it, if you want."

"Go out?" Elijah asked. "At night? Darling, are you sure that's a good idea, given the newness of my...condition? I don't want to be acting like a beast in the middle of a restaurant!"

"Honey, I know you're terrified of what might happen if you go out, and that's perfectly logical, but it's actually being stuck in that fear that makes things worse for you," Selina said, trying to soothe him. "The more you go out at night and work on accepting your condition, that's what will ease everything that worries you. I promise! And besides. you only turn on the full mon, remember? Other moons just make you a bit moody, and I can help keep you calm."

"No sex in the restaurant," Elijah requested.

"Of course not!" Selina replied. "That's not the only way I can keep you calm. There are others. What if we didn't go alone? What if I invited some other people to come with us?"

"Like who?" Elijah asked. "Not Gregory and Katherine. That would be too awkward."

"Don't worry," Selina assured him. "I'm not selfless enough yet to go out with Katherine unless it's absolutely necessary. I wasn't thinking of her and Gregory. What about Alistair and Astrid? We haven't seen them in awhile. And he's kept your brother in check for years. It could be good to have Alistair around."

"I think it might be in poor taste to invite him to dinner just so he can mind me," Elijah told her. "Don't you?"

"I'm not saying he has to watch you every second," Selina replied. "But wouldn't it make you feel calmer knowing he's there and won't encourage you to do evil like you feel I would?"

Elijah sighed. "I suppose. Let's call them and give them an invite."

Selina patted him on the shoulder. "Love the enthusiasm," she said, her tone dry. "Sounds like we're in for a great evening."

"Thank you for agreeing to come with us tonight, Alistair," Elijah told his friend as he ruefully shut the car door behind him before striding quickly toward the restaurant door.

"Whoa, slow down!" Alistair cried, running to keep up with him while Astrid and Selina talked by the car. "What's the rush?"

Elijah turned on him, his eyes flashing. "I just want to go inside, all right?" He grabbed him by the throat and shook him a little bit before Selina and Astrid finally noticed and pulled them apart. Alistair took deep breaths and massaged his throat, which Astrid surmised would have a bruise the next day.

"I'm sorry," Elijah apologized as he clutched Selina's hand and they sped inside. "I really didn't mean to hurt you."

"Oh, it's all right," Alistair replied as they sat down at their table. "Your brother's done worse. What was that all about?"

"You mean you don't know?" Elijah asked. "Klaus or Adrian haven't told you?"

"No," Alistair shook his head.

"Well," Elijah cleared his throat. "I'm a werewolf now. I was-I was kidnapped by Klaus' biological father and turned against my will as payback for my father's sins against him. And I've been having trouble adjusting." He paused. "That's part of why we invited you and Astrid to come to dinner with us. So I wouldn't have an upset. But that didn't work, did it?"

"Don't blame yourself," Alistair replied. "Just take a deep breath and think of something calming. It'll be fine."

"All right," Elijah replied, putting his napkin in his lap. "I'll try that."

"If this isn't gonna be enjoyable for you," Selina told him, "if you're gonna be fretting about what will happen in public, we can leave."

"And do what?" Elijah asked. "You told me I had to face my fear!"

"Well, after what just happened with Alistair, I'm kind of thinking that maybe we're doing this too early," Selina replied. "But I-I might have another idea."

"What?" Elijah asked. "I'm interested to know."

"There's a drive in restaurant not too far from here," Selina replied. "They're open til midnight and we wouldn't even have to get out of the car. Or we could just get our food and go home and be safe under our roof."

"Take out?" Elijah winced. "All that grease...what about my suit?"

"You can change into regular clothes before you eat," Selina replied easily. "What do you think?"

"Well, we don't have any other options, do we?" Elijah asked.

They got up from the table and left a note, then grabbed their coats and left the restaurant, getting burgers at the drive thru before heading home and going inside.

"You know, it's been awhile since I've actually had time to just sit down and have a burger," Astrid said, taking a bite and then licking off some ketchup that had spurted onto her hand. "So I really don't mind the change in plans." She grinned at Alistair. "What about you, Professor?"

Alistair swallowed his mouthful and nodded. "Doesn't bother me either."

A few seconds later, Selina and Elijah emerged from their bedroom. He wore jeans and a long-sleeved green shirt. He sat down on the floor in front of the sofa, and Selina draped a towel around his shoulders while she sat on the sofa behind him, rubbing his shoulders with one hand and eating her burger with the other.

"Is that better?" Astrid asked Elijah. "Is it helping? What's the towel for?"

"I do feel better," Elijah nodded. "Thank you for asking." He paused. "The towel is for in case mustard or something drips while Selina is eating. It's a good precaution, don't you think? So, we've heard about me. What's going on with the two of you?"

"Work is coming along nicely as usual," Astrid replied. "No hostile takeovers to report."

"And your brother has calmed down," Alistair added. "Amy deciding to take him back really helped. Although I still question how right the choice was, it's her life."

"And you know, Savannah asked me over to their house the other day," Astrid added. "She said she wanted to give her powers to Amy at least until Vivi's powers had evened out and she's no longer turning into things unexpectedly."

"You're kidding!" Alistair exclaimed. "Savannah said that? Really?"

"You knew that!" Astrid replied. "I told you."

"I know you did," Alistair replied. "But I assumed you were making a joke or something."

"Nope," Astrid shook her blonde head. "She seemed pretty serious about it to me. She made Klaus give her a mansion in return, but that's the closest to altruism that we've ever seen from her."

"It's cause of Amy," Elijah replied. "It's wonderful that my brother found a sane woman with good morals to have children with, unlike his matches in the past."

"Hey!" Selina cried and moved her hand from his shoulder. "What's that supposed to mean? I have semi-decent morals!"

"But you're also very easily manipulated by my brother into misbehavior," Elijah replied. "Don't deny it. Everyone here can verify it."

"Yes," Alistair nodded. "Selina, I'm afraid he's right."

"Well, I am just feeling so attacked right now," Selina said sarcastically. "If I didn't like all of you, I would be so hurt!"

"Are you planning on storming off in a huff now?" Elijah asked.

"No," Selina shook her head. "I'm fine, really."

After eating, they split into pairs and played a few rounds of Pictionary before Astrid announced she had to be at work early the next morning, so it was time for she and Alistair to head home.

"Although it didn't start out the best, this evening ended well," Elijah said.

"I agree," Alistair replied. "And you'll be all right, Elijah."

"That's what Selina keeps telling me, but I'm not so sure," Elijah replied.

"You just will," Alistair replied. "Trust me. You'll make it."

"Thank you," Elijah told him as he and Astrid headed out the door. "Thank you very much, Alistair!"

"That was some night, wasn't it?" Astrid asked Alistair from bed as she watched him undress. "How's your neck?"

"My neck is all right," Alistair replied as, clad only in his boxers, he climbed into bed next to her. "Don't worry about me. I'm used to behavior like that. It wasn't Elijah's fault."

Astrid sighed and ran her fingers through Alistair's shoulder length dark hair. "It was one thing to think like that when you were serving your punishment with Klaus, but I don't want you thinking like that anymore. It's not okay with me that you're so desensitized to being hurt."

"Well, how could I not be after all the years I spent with Klaus?" Alistair asked. "I know it might seem like we've always been on good terms, but that's not true, and it wasn't like I could fight back. My magic wasn't my own. And Elijah wasn't in his right mind. I would have felt terrible hurting him."

"And how quickly would he have healed from whatever it was that you would have done to him?" Astrid asked. "Alistair, Elijah could have killed you. Do you realize how upsetting that would be for me? Not to mention Helene, Lenora, and so many other people!"

"I know," Alistair replied and took her in his arms. "I apologize. If anything like that ever happens again, I'll do more to defend myself."

Astrid lay her head on his shoulder. "Well, I just think it's incredible you have to promise me that," she said. "I thought self-preservation would be an obvious thing. But not for everyone, apparently."

"No," Alistair replied. "I've been a little out of practice when it comes to self-preservation. Cause the last time I really stuck up for myself, I went too far. It got me punished. And I don't want to go through that again."

"And you won't," Astrid promised and kissed him. "Not if I have anything to say about it." She kissed his neck, which was, as she suspected, beginning to bruise, and then he brought his head down and their lips met. She threw her arms around his shoulders and let him roll her over onto the mattress so that he was looking down into her deep blue eyes.

"I'm so glad I found you," he told her. "Who knows what would have happened if we'd never met?"

"I don't want to think about it," Astrid replied. "I'd probably be married to some boring human boy. Or I would have gone through several husbands by now."

Alistair nodded. "And I'd probably just keep going on with the life I had, knowing only punishment rather than pleasure. How I made it through after the war separated us and all the years until we found each other again, I have no idea."

"Let's not talk about that," Astrid requested. "Please?"

"Of course," Alistair nodded and removed his boxers before gently caressing her body as she clutched him tightly before he slipped inside her and swallowed her cry of release with a kiss.