"I know I said this before," Edward told Laura. "But I wanna thank you again. I-I realize now that when you were talking about the money, you weren't trying to insult me or anything. You were just trying to do something nice for us all."

"Well, yeah, I was," Laura nodded, ruffling Edward's hair. "But since it bothers you, we can chip in together, just like I suggested."

"You wanna start looking for houses now?" Edward asked, feeling very excited. "Or do you want to wait?"

"Well, since you're the one who's putting in most of the money, you can start looking whenever you want," Laura told him. "Just make sure it's a good size. And once you know the address, tell me so I can make an announcement that the salon has moved."

"Sure," Edward nodded, gesturing around the room. "I'm not gonna pick anything smaller than this."

"Sounds like a plan," Laura said. "And don't take this the wrong way, but your back is really making me concerned. Doesn't it bother you?"

"It's something I can live with," Edward replied. "I just have to take medicine every day is all."

"Don't you want it to get better?" Laura asked. "And those migraines of yours too? I know about those. I told your secretary to mention it to me every time you get one and do you realize how frequently that happens?"

"I do, but again, pills help," Edward replied.

"Now, I'm not trying to be pushy" Laura continued, "but I would feel better if you let me turn you."

"Into a vampire?" Edward asked. "Now?"

"Why not?" Laura asked. "Then you'll never have to take another pill again."

Wincing from the pain in his back, Edward asked Laura to get him some pills before saying, "let me think. That might not be such a bad idea after all."

A few days later, a large snowstorm hit while Edward was stuck at the office. "I'll come and pick you up," Laura told her husband as the snow fell. "I don't want you driving in this weather."

"Well, what makes you more suitable to drive than me?" Edward asked.

"If I don't pick you up, how are you gonna get home?" Laura asked.

"I'll drive myself," Edward replied. "Nothing bad will happen. I promise."

"Fine," Laura replied. "But if you hurt yourself because you're being stubborn, don't come crying to me."

These last words haunted her when she got a call from the police. "Ma'am," said a voice on the other end of the line. "Do you know Edward Emerson?"

"I do," Laura replied, her voice quiet. "I'm his wife. What's happened? Is he okay?"

"No, I'm afraid he's not, ma'am," the officer replied. "He had an accident. Slid on some ice and smashed into another car."

Laura felt a catch in her throat. "Is he...is he dead?"

"No, he's alive," the officer replied. "Paramedics are taking him to the hospital for further evaluation, but he looks badly hurt."

"Which hospital?" Laura asked, clutching the phone tightly.

"St. John's General," the officer replied. "Do you know it?"

"Yes," Laura nodded, thankful that Eli was with her parents so she could go right to the hospital. And Charlie was probably with Elizabeth. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She then threw the phone down, stuck a few bags of blood in the cooler for when she would undoubtedly have to turn Edward, and drove as quickly as was safe, parking in the hospital parking lot and running inside.

"Ma'am, who are you here to see?" the lady at the desk asked.

"Edward Emerson," Laura told her. "I'm his wife. I just got a call that he was here."

"He came in a short while ago. He's having a few tests done and is being patched up, but they put him in room five," the lady told Laura. Laura ran to that room and waited, and when they brought Edward in, she tried not to cry. "What's happened?" She asked. "How badly are you hurt?"

"He's paralyzed," the doctor told her. "From the neck down. Can't feel a thing." He paused. "We'll leave you to digest this." They left and husband and wife gave each other a long look.

"Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry," Laura sniffled and put her arms around him the best she could. "When I said you couldn't talk to me if you hurt yourself, I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't," Edward replied. "I'm not mad." He stared at her. "Are you hugging me?"

"Yes," Laura sniffled. "You can see that, can't you?"

"Yeah, but I can't feel it," Edward replied. "And do you know how horrible it will be to transform when I'm paralyzed. It'll be an absolute nightmare." He paused. "I'm never gonna feel you or the boys hug me ever again. I'll have to be taken care of all my life. I-I can't live like this."

"What are you saying?" Laura asked. "Do you want me to turn you? I was thinking I might have to."

"Well, if I want to actually enjoy the rest of my life, now is as good a time as any," Edward replied.

Laura nodded and bit her wrist, holding it out to Edward, who grabbed it and sucked the blood gently, wincing and gagging, but managing to swallow. "Not as bad as I thought it would be," he said. "But still sort of gross."

"Here comes the hard part," Laura said, her voice full of hesitation. "Now, I have to kill you. But you'll be better after. I even brought you some blood so you wouldn't have to kill anyone in the hospital to complete your transition!"

"Well, thank you," Edward replied. "That's good to know."

"So how do you want me to kill you?" Laura asked. "I wouldn't want it to be painful. It might be easiest to just smother you with a pillow."

"Sure," Edward replied, handing it to her. "Why not?" He handed it to her, then lay back with his eyes closed. Laura took the pillow to the door, then, grabbing one of the nurses who was happening by, compelled her to watch the door and shoo away anyone who was coming in. After that, she closed the door and proceeded to smother Edward, then, once he was no longer moving, she grabbed a blood bag from the cooler and waited for him to wake up, smiling through tears when he was able to sit up and remark that he felt her holding his hand before taking the blood bag from her and drinking it while they discussed how to get him out of the hospital.

"So this is the new house?" Elijah asked as he and Selina drove up the driveway of Laura and Edward's house a month later and Laura came to meet their car.

"Yep," she replied, gesturing at the house that had the look of an English cottage, but was a good size.

"How's Edward like the house?" Selina asked.

"Well, he picked it out, so he likes it," Laura replied.

"And how's he adjusting to being a vampire?" Elijah asked. "Is it going well?"

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "It's great, thanks. He loves not having any more back pain, and not having to turn when the moon is full. You know, last month during the full moon, we just sat on the deck and stared at it, and nothing happened to him. I still am getting used to that."

"Was it hard to turn him?" Selina asked.

"Well, it would have been harder to watch him be paralyzed and dependent for the rest of his life when it's just not his personality," Laura replied. "I mean, don't get me wrong; killing him was difficult, but he woke up a lot faster than I thought he would, I had the blood ready, and he was just a really quick learner."

"We're glad everything worked out for you," Elijah said and hugged her. "Really."

Just then, Edward, who was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, his hair tousled, came around to the driveway from the backyard and kissed his wife and hugged his mother-in-law. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" He asked. "I was just checking out my garden."

"Aren't you a little cold?" Selina asked.

Edward nodded. "A little. But it doesn't bother me. Just that I can feel the cold is enough for me. When I was paralyzed and couldn't even feel Laura touch me, that was one of the most frightening moments of my life. I relish every sensation now, even if it's unpleasant."

"Good for you," Elijah nodded. "What a wonderful idea."

"Of course not everyone feels that way, so would you like to come inside?" Edward asked. "Maybe have a warm drink or something?"

"I would," Selina nodded, trying to conceal her shivers. "Let's go."

They went inside and into the living room, which was decorated in autumn reds and ocher yellow. Laura went to get tea while Edward grabbed some blood from the fridge and sipped it leisurely.

"It's so nice to know your transition went easily," Selina said. "Cause they don't always."

"Well, the fact that I love and trust the vampire who turned me and the transformation was my choice helped a lot," he said. "Still struggling with the blood cravings though. I go through a few bags a day, and part of me wonders if it's too much."

"Well, do you feel out of control and like you need to kill someone after you have all that blood?" Selina asked.

"No," Edward shook his head. "I feel sated. The exact opposite of wanting to kill someone."

"I wouldn't worry about it, then," Selina replied. "I think it has to do with the werewolf gene. Even though it's technically not active cause you're dead, you still maintain some of the same habits you had before you died that had to do with being a werewolf, like eating a lot. I have that sometimes, too."

"And me," Elijah added. "Even though I try to ignore it. It's very difficult."

"I forgot that you're a werewolf now," Edward replied, pausing to remove the blood bag from his lips and hold it on his lap. "How's that going for you? Have I asked you that yet?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "But it's better than it used to be. And how are Eli and Charlie?"

"Eli is fine," Laura replied. "I don't know about Charlie."

"What's wrong with him?" Selina asked.

"It's just this obsession that he has with Elizabeth," Laura replied. "I know you've probably heard about it, but it just gets more troublesome by the day."

"Well have you tried separating them?" Elijah asked. "I know Gregory tried chaperoning their dates, but of course it didn't work. Anything bad happen?"

"Not that I know of," Laura shook her head. "But Elizabeth is human, you know, and Charlie, bless his heart, doesn't always have the best self-control even though he tries. I have this real eerie sense that one day he's gonna go too far. The only question is, how long until then?"

"Why is it that every time you and I go out, you kill someone?" Elizabeth asked, staring with disgust at another one of Charlie's kills. "Is this something you do without me too, or do I make you do bad things?"

"Well, yes," Charlie nodded, blood still dripping from his mouth. "You do. I kill people when I'm with you to stop myself from taking your blood, even though what you have in you is a lot better than what they've got in them." He paused and looked in her eyes. "You know, if you would just let me feed from you, you'd be doing the helpless populace a lot of good. And give me better nourishment than I'm getting at home."

"I-I don't know," Elizabeth replied, stepping back from him a little. "Every time I let you feed from me, you take too much. So I'm not sure letting you feed from me is a good idea."

"Oh, so you want me to kill innocent people to spare your life," Charlie nodded. "I get it. You're selfish."

"I am not!" Elizabeth replied and slapped him. "I have just as much right to live as your other victims, and you guilting me like this...I hate it!" She began to stride away just as Charlie put a hand to his reddening cheek, and then reached out and grabbed Elizabeth's arm, dragging her along behind him.

"Where are you taking me?" Elizabeth cried. "Let me go! Charlie, please!"

But he didn't hear her. He seemed to be past caring. He dragged her off to a very private corner and sunk his fangs into her neck, sucking enough blood so that she lay limply in his arms as he carried her to his car, put her in the backseat, and then drove to his house, taking her out of the car and carrying her in through a door to the basement, across the basement, and into a door behind which was a room they never used. He lay her in a heap on the floor and then went to get some handcuffs (from his parents' bedroom; he didn't want to think why they were there), cuffing her to some pipe, and, when she could finally meet his eyes, compelling her to stay.

"I'm sorry I have to do this," he told her, his finger under her chin as he lovingly pushed her hair out of her eyes. "But with my father drinking more blood than he should now, plus Mom, and Eli, there's not enough blood in the house to go around. I need my own personal supply. You understand that, don't you? I'll make this up to you someday, I promise."

While she muttered incoherently, he gave her a kiss and headed upstairs just as Laura called him for dinner.

Over the next few days, Charlie sneaked down to the basement again and again to feed from Elizabeth as, in his mind, the blood supply in the house dwindled rapidly (although it was fine.) Then, as they all were watching TV one night, there was a sharp knock on the door. Laura went to answer it, and found her brother looking at her as if he wanted to bite her head off. "What did he do with her?" He demanded of Laura. "I know you want to be more permissive about your son's relationship with my daughter, but she went out with him three days ago, and I haven't heard from her since, so where is she?"

"I honestly thought she was with you," Laura said, trying to calm him down. "I really don't know a thing."

Then Gregory noticed Charlie on the couch. With a show of temper that Laura had rarely seen, she watched her big brother grab her son by the throat and shake him. "Where is my daughter?" He asked between his teeth.

Then he heard the cry from the basement. It was barely audible, but his sharp senses picked it up. He ran downstairs and found Elizabeth cuffed to the pipe. her neck and shirt very blood-stained.

"Oh, my god," he said, breaking the cuffs and pulling his daughter into his arms. "What sort of monster would do this this to you?"

"It was Charlie," she said. "He thought the house was low on blood and that mine was tastiest, so he kept me down here to feed from." She began to cry. "I want to go home, Daddy. Don't make me come back here, please."

"Oh, you won't," Gregory replied, cradling his teenage daughter as if she were an infant. "In fact, you'll never be seeing Charlie again."

"That would be nice," Elizabeth muttered, leaning her head on her father's shoulder. "He's a bad boy."

"I know," Gregory told her. "I've got you. Everything is all right now." He then brought her upstairs, glaring daggers at his sister and brother-in-law. "He's been feeding off her. He had her cuffed to a pipe in the basement! If you don't discipline your son for this," he said, "I will." He then strode off, leaving a mortified Laura to face her son.

"How could you do that to her?" Laura asked, her voice full of shock. "Hiding the poor girl in the basement so you could feed from her?"

"Well, how else was I suppose to get blood?" Charlie asked. "Everyone takes all that we have here before I have a chance to have my fill."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Laura snapped. "You know that's not true."

"So what are you gonna do now?" Charlie asked, his voice full of challenge. "Kick me out?"

Laura was about to say 'Yes', but then remembered her father's face the night he kicked Gregory out and realized that wasn't the way to go.

"No," she got out. "But we'll be having a long talk. Several long talks. And your blood consumption will be strictly monitored. Unless, of course, you want to leave. Then be my guest." She gestured at the door her brother had just exited from.

"No, I'll stay," Charlie grumbled. "But don't you go starving me."

"Oh, we won't," Edward shook his head and looked at his son with pity. "Although, considering what you've been consuming, you'll probably believe we are."