"Okay, what's wrong?" Edward asked Laura when she sighed dramatically and lay her head down on the breakfast table, refusing to look up. "Is Charlie skipping school again? Do I need to have a talk with him? I can't believe he did that. I thought we raised him better!"

"No, it's not Charlie," Laura replied. "It's my brother. He's making Elizabeth and Charlie go on chaperoned dates. How stupid is that? He should trust them instead of treating them like criminals! I told Mom this too, but sometimes, my brother can be a real ass!"

"But at least he's not saying they can't be together," Edward said. "Did you think about that? I believe you're getting worked up about this for no reason."

"Oh, god," Laura said, leaning back a little. "You've drunk the Gregory Kool-aid as well! Why does everyone think that this is okay?"

"Well, why do you think it's wrong?" Edward asked, bringing her head up by putting his hand underneath her chin so her eyes were locked on his.

"Mom used to tell me the most awful stories about the chaperones she had when she was a girl," Laura replied. "They were all old and bitter and alone. And wanted everyone to be miserable just because nobody wanted them. I don't want Charlie and Elizabeth to go through that."

Edward smiled. "Your brother's chaperone pool is very small: you, me, him, or Katherine. And are any of us old, bitter, and alone?"

"No," Laura shook her head.

"Just relax," Edward told her. "If the kids agreed to it, then it will be okay. And it will shut your brother up once and for all."

"I guess," Laura nodded. "They were supposed to go to that rock concert tomorrow, but Gregory's making them go apple-picking instead. I bet that made them happy."

"You never know," Edward replied. "They might like it and make the best out of a bad situation."

"I doubt it," Laura replied. "I have a really bad feeling about it all. A really, really bad feeling."

"I'm sorry you had to give up those concert tickets just because it was Dad's turn to chaperone and he wasn't in the mood to see the Scorching Tongues," Elizabeth told Charlie. "They're the hottest rock band in the world right now, and instead of seeing them and being cool, we have to go apple picking! Could things be any more lame?"

"I can see a good side," Charlie said, noticing that Gregory was in earshot. "Grandma agreed to make pie out of whatever we pick, so we'll have pie when we didn't have pie before."

Elizabeth smiled and gave his hand a squeeze, making her father smile even though she really wanted to kill him. "You're too good of a sport," she said. "I don't deserve you!"

"Okay, children," Gregory said and pointed to the apple trees, "There they are. I paid the fee that allows us to pick as many apples as we want. All in the fresh air and the sunshine! This'll be great, won't it?"

"Yes!" Elizabeth pasted a smile on her face. "Just wonderful."

She then turned to Charlie and they walked away. Once they were out of her father's hearing, Elizabeth said, "I'm bored. Wanna do something that's actually fun?"

"Like what?" Charlie asked, kicking apples on the ground aside as he walked. "What sort of fun stuff could we possibly do here?"

"I was thinking that since we can't have sex anymore, we could share blood instead," Elizabeth smiled. "That would be fun. And it wouldn't get me pregnant. What do you say?"

"I understand why I would need yours," Charlie replied. "But why would you need mine?"

"It's not about need!" Elizabeth said. "It's about want! Don't think I've not been curious what drinking blood is like, growing up with vampires all these years and all." She pushed him against a tree, then took a knife from her bag.

"Where the hell did you get that?" Charlie asked.

"I just took it from home," Elizabeth studied it at all angles. "I hope it's sharp enough. I don't want this to hurt you too much." She noticed Charlie twitching and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "What's the matter?" She asked. "Are you scared of me?"

"N-no," Charlie shook his head, then swallowed. "Now, if you're gonna do this, do it quick. Cause your father will come looking for us soon!"

"All right!" Elizabeth replied. She'd originally planned on making the cut be on his throat, but she didn't know where to cut so it wouldn't be super painful, so she just settled for his arm, as he had done when he'd fed off her.

Getting the blood from the wound was a bit more difficult for Elizabeth cause she didn't have fangs and had to resort to gnawing on Charlie and another slash from the knife, but finally, she let his arm go, her mouth so full of blood that some of it was dripping onto her chin.

"Are you gonna swallow?" Charlie asked, a small smirk on his lips. "Or are you gonna throw up?"

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed and she defiantly swallowed his blood, although she did gag afterward.

"Good?" Charlie asked.

"Oh, shut up," Elizabeth replied. "And get some damn apples, so Daddy won't question what we've been doing!"

Charlie then saluted, picking some apples off the ground just as Gregory came upon them. "How are things going?" He asked. "You haven't gotten much, have you?"

"We've been eating," Charlie replied. "We're just so eager, we can't even wait until we get home!"

"Well, all right," Gregory replied with a smile. "Keep up the good work!"

"Don't worry, Daddy!" Elizabeth called after him. "We will!"

"So how was the apple orchard?" Katherine asked Gregory smugly. "Did Charlie and Elizabeth hate it as much as I told you they would?"

"Actually, I think they enjoyed themselves immensely," Gregory replied. "And even if they didn't, I did."

"Yeah, because a date for them should be all about you," Katherine replied. "Why not?"

"Oh, don't look at me like that, Katerina!" Gregory said irritably. "I'm doing the right thing! Elizabeth will see that in the long run!"

"But what about right now?" Katherine replied. "I sense trouble ahead."

"Oh, come on!" Gregory replied. "You and I are vampires with a lot of life experience between us. How much trouble can one teenage girl be?"

"I have a feeling she's gonna show us," Katherine replied. "And when you need my help to deal with her, I'm just gonna sit back and laugh."

It didn't take long for Katherine to be proved correct. The next morning, Elizabeth was late for breakfast, which irritated Gregory, who always insisted that everyone be in the dining room at exactly seven-thirty, and when Elizabeth wasn't downstairs by seven-thirty-one, Gregory went looking for her. He found her bedroom door closed, and when he opened it, he saw a bump under her bed covers, and her alarm clock on the floor next to her bed with the batteries taken out.

"Elizabeth," he said sternly. "It's time for breakfast. Come on and get up. You know you're supposed to be downstairs by now."

The lump didn't move until Gregory opened the curtains and Elizabeth poked her head out and let out a shriek. "Well, that's better," Gregory said as Elizabeth pulled the curtains closed.

"What is your problem, Daddy?" She snapped. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Getting up at the time you usually do won't kill you," Gregory replied. "Come on, your breakfast is getting cold. I made eggs and bacon."

"Sorry," Elizabeth replied. "I don't eat that stuff anymore."

Gregory frowned. "Oh, don't tell me you've gone on one of those annoying diets to stick up for animal rights."

"No," Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm just not interested in people food anymore. It has no health value for me."

"Excuse me?" Gregory asked. "Yes it does! You're people!" He then watched in amazement as his daughter pulled a blood bag out from under the bed and began drinking from it."

"Oh, no!" He said as he watched, horrified. "You can't be serious!"

"Oh, but I am," Elizabeth replied, showing bloody teeth. "I want to be just like everyone else in this family. Why is that a problem?"

"Get dressed and be downstairs in ten minutes!" Gregory said firmly. "Or else I will bring you down myself if you won't come willingly." He left and slammed the door behind him.

"Well, I see the old vein in your temple is throbbing," Katherine smiled. "What did I tell you? She's rebelling, just like I said."

"Oh, she's not just rebelling," Gregory said. "I think she's gone insane! She won't get up, she's drinking blood, she says the light will kill her..." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Oh, for the love of god, why?"

He was somewhat relieved when, several minutes later, he heard someone come down the stairs. Assuming it was Elizabeth, and believing she'd come down in much better spirits, Gregory turned toward the stairway and smiled, his joy turning into horror when he saw the way Elizabeth was dressed. She was wearing fishnet stockings, a black miniskirt, a dark purple shirt that showed her midriff, a choker around her neck, and black platform boots. Her hair was different odd lengths as if she'd cut hunks off with scissors without making any effort to have them come out even, and her lips were covered with dark red lipstick. Everything on her was stuff she'd bought in secret over the years and hidden from her father cause she knew he'd hate it.

"I came downstairs," she said, sitting down and putting on a pair of sunglasses. "Are you happy?"

"No, I am not!" Gregory cried. "Why are you dressed like that? You look like a prostitute!"

"Oh, she doesn't look that bad!" Katherine replied, then looked at her daughter. "Can I borrow those boots sometime?"

"Sure," Elizabeth replied and pulled a cigarette out of her cleavage. "Got a light?" She asked her father.

"No, I don't!" Gregory cried. "That is it, young lady! You're grounded!"

"Great!" Elizabeth replied, standing up. "I don't care!"

"And you can't see Charlie either!" Gregory continued. "Your relationship caused all this, so it won't continue. I'm sure your mother agrees with me."

"Why do I have to be sucked into this?" Katherine cried. "I really think you're making a fuss out of nothing. Elizabeth is just trying to express herself!"

"And just what is she trying to express?" Gregory cried. "That she's insane and a big shame to her family? Cause she's got that down pretty well!"

In response to that remark, Katherine did a "hypocrite!" cough, and Elizabeth stood up and grabbed her bag. "Fine," she said. "Then maybe I don't want to be part of this stupid family anymore! I'll go move in with Aunt Laura! I bet she won't judge me!"

"Sounds all right to me!" Gregory shouted back. "I'd prefer that! In fact, I'll even call her to tell her that you're coming!"

"Thank you!" Elizabeth cried. "For that, if nothing else!" She stomped out of the dining room and they heard the front door slam behind her.

"She's gonna drive off with your car, you know," Katherine told Gregory. "Since you told her she had to wait until she was twenty-one before you would help her get one of her own. You could have handled that better, and you know it!"

"I know no such thing," Gregory replied, and called Laura to give her the heads up about Elizabeth.

"Oh, my god!" Laura said when she opened the door to face her niece.

"Didn't your brother tell you I was coming?" Elizabeth asked. "He told me he would right after he kicked me out."

"Oh, I know that," Laura replied. "I figured something like this would happen. What in the hell did you do to yourself?"

Elizabeth looked her outfit over. "This isn't so bad! And I thought you would be the one person besides my mom who wouldn't judge the way I was dressed."

"What dressed?" Laura asked, reaching out to touch the little nibs on Elizabeth's head. "I'm talking about your hair! You've completely destroyed it! Let's get it fixed up."

"I don't want to interrupt anyone's appointments," Elizabeth replied.

"Who cares about them?" Laura said. "This is an emergency! And when your mom comes for work, should I make up a fib about why you're here?"

"No, she knows," Elizabeth sighed. "And she supports me."

"All right then," Laura nodded. "Good enough."

They went to the basement so Laura could even out Elizabeth's hair the best she could, then Elizabeth went to unpack her things before going to Charlie's room to wait for his return.

She surmised that Charlie hadn't been told about her arrival, cause when he opened his bedroom door and saw her lounging on his bed in her new outfit and pixie cut, his jaw dropped.

"Oh, my god," he said. "You look different."

"I thought it was time for a change," she said and patted the empty space on the bed. "I was just so sick of my father and his rules. Now we don't have to worry about rules at all."

"Good," Charlie said, coming to kiss her. "I love that we don't have to sneak around anymore." He kissed her, his hand going up her thigh and under her skirt. "I'm glad you're here, Lizzie."

"Bite me," she whispered.

"Hey, I was just trying to make a nice comment!" He replied.

"No," Elizabeth said. "I mean bite me. Like, really."

"Are you sure?" Charlie asked.

"Yes," Elizabeth nodded. "Please."

"All right," Charlie replied, pulling her pantyhose down her legs a bit so he could get inside her panties and give her a good rub as he bit her.

"Oh, god!" Elizabeth cried as she felt her blood spurt on her neck. "That's good! More! More!" She let out a cry as Charlie bit into her breasts while squeezing the nipple with his free hand. The pain was exhilarating, and as every thing seemed to splinter around her, she clung to Charlie as the only solid thing within reach.