Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed! You all are the main reason I'm able to stay motivated to keep writing, so thank you! I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 8

"Hiya, bestie!" Enid waved cheerfully as she popped out of the hearse. As usual, it looked like a rainbow had vomited all over her garments.

"Hello, Enid." Wednesday stepped back warily as her roommate extended her arms towards her. "What are you doing?"

Confusion crossed Enid's face. "I thought hugging was something we did now—you know, after what happened that night."

Wednesday could feel the eyes of her family burning a hole through to her spine. She should have known this would happen—she doubted if Enid even knew the meaning of the word secret. Half the population of Transylvania probably knew by now that Wednesday Addams had embraced someone of her own accord. If only she had had the foresight to blackmail her into silence before she left.

Well, it was too late now. Damage control was the only option left to her.

"You're mistaken," she said, imbuing icy coolness into her voice. "What happened that night was due to extenuating circumstances and will not be discussed again. Is that understood?"

"I get that you're embarrassed," Enid said, "but you really shouldn't be. You're actually a really great hugger."

Wednesday sent her a death glare, but her roommate had grown unfortunately immune to those as of late. So much for damage control.

"Well, we're happy to have you with us, Enid dear," her mother said. "Please make yourself at home during your stay."

"I hope your family was alright with us spiriting you away for a while," her father added.

"Believe me, Mr. and Mrs. Addams, I'm not missing anything. They're on our annual family camping trip, and let me tell you, sharing a tent with five brothers is totes disgusting." She gave an exaggerated shudder.

"Well, please, come on in," her mother smiled. "Wednesday will give you a tour of the castle."

Wednesday opened her mouth to protest, but her mother raised a silencing finger. "Enid is your guest, darling. Be a hospitable host and show her around, please."

Seeing that resisting was futile, she begrudgingly resigned herself to her fate. She had built this coffin for herself. Now she had no choice but to lie in it.

"I can't believe I'm staying in an actual castle." Enid's peppy voice grated in her ears as they passed through the main entrance. "I mean it'd be even better if the vibe was more Cinderella and less Dracula, but still, it's a flipping castle."

They finished touring the first floor and were headed for a flight of winding stairs when Enid stopped suddenly. Wednesday glanced at her impatiently. "What?"

"You're bleeding."

She ground her teeth in annoyance. Her knife wound must have opened again. Curse Enid's heightened werewolf senses.

"It's from the arrow," she lied. "It's almost healed, but it still bleeds every now and then. It's nothing to worry about."

"You really have to take better care of yourself," Enid said. "I hope you haven't been pushing yourself too hard while you've been here."

Wednesday wondered briefly how Enid defined 'pushing oneself too hard,' but she didn't

care enough to ask. "I'm fine. Let's go."

They turned down a long hallway and Enid paused to examine a portrait of a man with dark shoulder-length hair and strong features. "Who's that?" she asked. "He's kind of cute."

"Enid, I know you rarely think of anything other than the opposite sex, but an infatuation with a portrait of a man who's been dead for five hundred years is a bit much even for you."

"No need to be so judgy," Enid said defensively. "I'm not infatuated with him. I was just making an observation."

Wednesday stared at her, unconvinced. "To answer your question, his name is Heinrich the Horrible. He went mad and killed his wife and nine children before committing suicide. Some say that his grief-crazed ghost still haunts these halls." Her lips twisted slightly. "On second thought, maybe your taste in men isn't hopeless, after all."

Enid blanched. "I-I think I'll stick with Ajax. Where'd you say my room is again?"

"The end of the hall on the right."

Enid pushed opened the door tentatively and stepped inside. She surveyed the room with its fireplace and four-poster bed, relaxing visibly. "It's surprisingly...normal."

"Of course it is," Wednesday replied matter-of-factly. "The wallpaper and carpets were all replaced after the incident."

Enid froze. "What incident?" she asked in a small voice.

"Oh, nothing too serious. "Two lovers got in a quarrel. It got violent and the male accidentally impaled his beloved on one of the bed posts. I imagine it must have been quite a sight."

Enid looked slightly green as she eyed the large mahogany bed. "Do you by chance have any rooms where someone didn't...you know, die?"

Wednesday pretended to think. "No, but I could move you to Heinrich's room if you want. It has a balcony."

Enid shook her head frantically. "This is fine."

Wednesday smiled to herself. She had been forced to give this tour, so she might as well have some fun with it.

"So, where's your room?" Enid asked.

"This way."

They descended to the dungeon and Enid looked around, nose wrinkled slightly in distaste. "It's very...you," she said at last.

"Thank you."

"It's nice that you have a place for Thing to sleep," she said, pointing to Tyler's neatly folded cot in the corner of the room. "An entire cot seems a bit overkill though."

Tyler entered at that moment, distractedly rubbing his damp hair with a towel. He had just gotten out of the shower.

Enid's eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"

Wednesday took a seat on the edge of her bed, preparing herself for some quality entertainment. The only thing she was missing was popcorn.

Tyler looked at Wednesday uncertainly. "You didn't tell her?"

"Clearly not," she replied dryly.

"But I thought you were going to explain things so she wouldn't freak out when she saw me."

"You were the one who came up with that plan. I never consented to it."

"Um, excuse me," Enid said shrilly. "I'm standing right here, you know."

Wednesday shifted her gaze to Enid. "I forgot to tell you. Tyler's vacationing with us as well. There," she said, turning back to Tyler pointedly. "Satisfied?"

"Wait a second." Enid's expression darkened and she looked at Tyler accusingly. "You're the one who hurt her, aren't you? She's bleeding. I can smell it."

Tyler shook his head. "It wasn't me, but it's complicated. Enid, listen, I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for what happened that night. I—"

He cut off as Enid's nails extended into claws. "If you take one step closer, I'll scratch your eyes out."

"Enid, that's enough."

"Look, Wednesday, I know you're not exactly normal, but even you have to see that inviting your would-be murderer on a family vacation is insane."

"He's not going to hurt either of us. He's here because I'm teaching him to control the Hyde."

"Teaching him to control it? What are you talking about?"

Wednesday suppressed a sigh. She was beginning to think that stabbing herself again would be less troublesome than dealing with this. "Listen closely, because I'm only going to explain once. And no questions until the end. I don't enjoy being interrupted."

Enid was pacing the room by the time she finished. She appeared to be attempting to wear a path in the stone floor. "So you want me to help him, because—what? I'm a monster too?"

"A gross oversimplification, but I believe you've covered the crucial points—yes."

"This is unbelievable. Even after all this, you're still trying to use me. We're supposed to be friends, Wednesday. I know that's an unfamiliar concept for you, so let me give you a helpful hint. Friends don't have their friends come halfway across the world to be monster bait for them."

"So I take it that's a refusal then?"

Enid snorted. "Yes, it's a refusal. I want no part in helping you recreate Godzilla vs. King Kong. I don't even like monster films."

She started to storm out of the room, but Tyler grabbed her arm. "Enid, please wait."

She whirled on him furiously, fangs bared. "I told you to stay away from me!"

"I know," he said, raising his hands placatingly. "Just please hear me out. I know that you hate me, and I get it—I really do. You don't owe me anything, but I'm not asking for myself. Wednesday's already stabbed herself once because I wasn't strong enough. I know that I don't need to tell you how stubborn she is. She'll do it again in a heartbeat if she thinks she needs to. Next time she could die. So, I'm asking, not for myself, but for Wednesday. Please help her."

Enid hesitated. She looked at Tyler then at Wednesday, the fight gradually leaving her eyes. "Fine," she said. "I'll do it—but I have one condition."