"Is there anything I can do to help you with your nightmares?" Selina asked Elijah after they both dealt with another night of him having nightmares of a hypothetical past.

"No," Elijah said, putting his arms around her. "Not more than you've done, anyway." He then sat down and drank his coffee. "Normally, I would use school to get my mind off of things, but do you realize that people are threatening to shut the place down because of the whole government mess going on in the magical world?"

"Yes, I heard about that," Selina nodded. "The school could close down any day now. Good thing we have things to fall back on if that happens. I feel bad for the people that don't, though."

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "Me too."

Selina joined him at the breakfast table, passed him a blood bag, and said, "So…what do you think we should do today? What can we do to distract you so that you don't have your bad thoughts in the daytime too? Stop off at Laura's? She might be able to help you better than I can since I'm the source of your problems. Yeah, let's do that!"

"All right," Elijah nodded. "Let me get my coffee first, but sure, we can do whatever you think will help."

"What's the problem now?" Laura asked when Elijah and Selina were sitting in her living room. "You usually only stop by when there's some sort of crisis."

"We'll try to visit more for other reasons in the future, but here's the deal," Selina laid it out succinctly. "Your father heard that your uncle, Astrid, Alistair, and Amy got sent back in time and their actions were changing history, and ever since, he's had nightmares about things changing so that he and I are pulled apart and we don't know how to fix it."

"Well, in all honesty, I don't know what I can really do to ease your mind about something like that," Laura told him. "I mean, it's not like I'm a witch or anything."

"Why don't you try giving him a hug?" Selina suggested. "When I do it, it sort of exacerbates everything and we don't want that."

So Laura hugged him and tried to whisper soothing things in his ear. "I've been working on massage," She said. "Edward tells me I'm pretty good. You wanna give it a shot?"

"Sure," Elijah nodded. "That might help. And you could tell me stories about what's been going on in your life."

"All right," Laura nodded. "And don't worry, I gave Katherine the day off, so she won't be around to make things worse for you."

They headed away, this last remark giving Selina pause as she sat frozen on the sofa. What if things were going on between Elijah and Katherine in the past and that would be how she and Elijah got separated?

Feeling overcome, she quickly wrote Laura and Elijah a note and left it on the sofa, then began the walk to her mother and Uncle Andrew's, hoping the fresh air would help her clear her head so she didn't end up being driven crazy like her husband.

"Thank you for all the help you've given me," Thomas told Amelia. "Between you, your husband, and Charlotte, I know what it's like to have a family. It's nice. Not exactly what I pictured, but even better."

"What did you picture?" Amelia asked, sitting next to him. "If it's not too personal, will you tell me?"

"Well," Thomas told her, "I actually knew a lot more about my parents than the other kids at the orphanage. Miss Agatha who ran the place said that my mother (or rather, the woman she thought was my mother) was really hesitant to give me up. But she did it anyway and she was crying the whole time."

"What did she look like?" Amelia asked. "Do you know?"

"She had the same features as you," Thomas told her. "And the man…he was tall with really sad dark eyes and salt and pepper hair. The woman gave her name as Mrs. Andrews, told me to have a good life and for Miss Agatha to take good care of me, and then they left. And she always said it was kind of strange that I wasn't the age babies usually were when they were brought to her. I was about a week old, as if my mother had really struggled with the decision to give me away."

Amelia gave a choking sob and nodded. "I did," she said, looking him in the eye and trying to keep herself from crying as he put his arms around her. "All these years, I've had this picture of when I gave you up, that it happened right after you were born so I wouldn't have to remember how badly I wanted to keep you. But I couldn't. It wouldn't have been good for you. Growing up the way you did was much better."

Thomas' jaw dropped. "You're Mrs. Andrews?"

"Yes," Amelia nodded. "And the man who came with me to the orphanage that day…he wasn't your father. He was the doctor who delivered you. He came with me to drop you off because he thought I shouldn't do something like that alone."

"Wow," Thomas smiled. "That…that's completely unexpected." He chuckled. "I can't believe you're my mother."

"Yeah," Amelia nodded. "I'm pretty sure it's true. Same birthday, same name, same orphanage. Other stuff the same too. I don't see how it wouldn't be true."

"Well," Thomas got out. "I just…I don't know what to say. I really wasn't expecting this."

"I really wasn't either," Amelia agreed. "And I just want you to know that I don't expect you to get close to me or call me affectionate nicknames yet or anything like that. Since we just found all this out, I know that might be strange for you."

"If the guy who came with you to drop me off wasn't my father, who was?" Thomas wanted to know.

"It's Andrew," Amelia told him. "He's your father. He was killed during a poker game gone wrong while I was pregnant and that's why I felt like I needed to give you up. It wasn't because I didn't want you. I just didn't feel I would do a good job raising a second child without their father when I struggled enough with the first one as it is."

"I have a sibling?" Thomas asked. "Who is it?"

"Selina," Amelia told him. "The brunette with the big blue eyes. I believe you've met her."

"Yes," Thomas nodded. "But it will be nice to meet her as my sister."

"I'm sure it will be," Amelia nodded. "It's strange. I feel like we should both be more surprised about this. But we're not."

"I guess it explains why I felt so comfortable with both you and Andrew since I first met you," Thomas told her. "I just couldn't figure out why until now." He paused. "And did you say that Andrew was killed while you were pregnant? If that's the case, how is he here now?"

"He and I were both brought back from the dead by a group of sneaky young warlocks," Amelia explained. "It was a bit surprising at the time, but it's turned out to be a really fortunate thing."

"I can't say I disagree with that," Thomas told her.

"Who else do you think we should tell?" Amelia asked. "Do you want to just let everyone know now, or would you like to wait?"

"Well, I think that Andrew and Selina should know at least," Thomas replied. "Don't you think? And maybe Charlotte, too. But other people can wait to hear."

"All right," Amelia agreed and pushed her blonde hair out of her eyes. "Let's do it."

The first person they told was Andrew.

"Are you sure about this?" He wanted to know. "I've already been disappointed in situations like this so many times. I don't know if I can handle it happening again."

"I'm very sure," Amelia told him. "I promise."

"All right," Andrew nodded and then looked at Thomas, a small smile on his lips. "Would you like to have a drink?" He asked.

"Sure," Thomas told him. "I would love that."

Telling Charlotte was harder. She'd decided to visit her sons in order to give Thomas and Amelia some peace and quiet, and as Damon and Stefan were still adjusting to their mother being with another man, they didn't greet him kindly when he showed up at Lucy and Damon's house.

"What do you want?" Stefan asked him gruffly. "Can't you see we're talking with our mother?"

"I only need a few minutes," Thomas told him. "And then I'll be out of your way, I promise."

"Don't listen to them," Charlotte told him. "Come with me. I'll find somewhere we can talk in private."

They headed off and when Stefan and Damon heard the sound of a door closing, they ran to stand in the hallway and try and listen from the other side of the door.

"What?" They heard Charlotte say. "What do you mean Amelia is your mother?"

"She told me," Thomas replied. "I told her about my time at the orphanage and what I heard about the people that brought me in and she said that the woman was her."

"Well, isn't that an interesting surprise?" Charlotte got out. She sounded shocked.

"You're not upset about this, are you?" Thomas asked her.

"No, of course not," Charlotte said. "I'm very happy for you."

"Thank you," Thomas replied.

Stefan and Damon quickly sped away from the door when they heard Charlotte and Thomas coming toward it so their mother wouldn't know they'd been snooping.

When Charlotte and Thomas emerged, they watched them embrace and kiss from their hiding space, and then when Thomas strode off, they came to walk with their mother back to the living room.

"Were you two listening at the door?" Charlotte asked, eyes narrowed. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough that we're concerned about you," Stefan told her as they walked. "You know that we just want you to be happy, but how do you think that Amelia's gonna feel about her best friend dating her son? Especially since they just realized that they're related. She might feel like you're taking him away from her."

"Don't be silly!" Charlotte snapped. "She was pleased when Damon and Selina were a couple. I don't see how this could be any different. She would be happy for us. You two are the only ones I would think of as a problem!"

"Well, you don't know that for sure, do you?" Damon told her. "Do you really want to just blurt out that you want her son to be more of a friend and risk ruining your friendship? And what if, when you're on the outs with Amelia, Thomas decides to end things with you too? Cause if he has to make a choice, you know he's gonna pick his family."

"Oh, you don't know that!" Charlotte spat. "Stop saying nonsense!"

"Don't be mad at him for stating a fact," Stefan told her. "We care about you and we just don't want you to get hurt."

"I don't believe that!" Charlotte shook her head. "What I think is that you don't want me to be happy, or have any of my attention taken away from you, so you're trying to fill my mind with doubt. It's not going to work, and you two should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"Okay, fine," Damon replied and stepped back. "We'll leave you be. But when you get disappointed and left all alone, don't come to us expecting sympathy."

"I won't," Charlotte replied. "Don't worry."

By the time Thomas returned from seeing Charlotte, he found Selina and her mother sitting on the sofa.

"So did you tell her the news?" He asked.

"No," Amelia shook her head. "I thought I would wait until we could both tell her together."

"What news?" Selina asked. "What's going on?"

"Well, you know how I told you that you had a brother but I gave him up because I didn't feel like I could raise him?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "Ever since you told me, I've been bummed because I wished I could have met him."

"Well…" Amelia gestured at Thomas. "Ta-da! That's him! He got turned into a vampire and that's why he's still around."

"What?" Selina asked, her big eyes getting wider. "He's my brother? When did you find this out?"

"Just today!" Amelia said. "It was the weirdest thing."

"Wow," Selina said, looking at Thomas. "I can't believe you're my brother! Well, brother and cousin."

"What?" Thomas asked.

"My dad is your uncle," Selina told him. "Our dads are brothers. So, much like many of my own children whose fathers are brothers, I'm related to you both ways: the mutual mother and the father who's the brother of your father." She paused. "Don't worry. I'll be a good sister."

"I'm not worried at all," Thomas smiled at her. "You seem nice enough."

"I try to be," Selina nodded. "Is there any sort of baked good that you like? I feel like this situation calls for celebratory baking."

"Chocolate chip cookies?" Thomas requested. "I know that's kind of conventional, but…"

"No, it's fine," Selina smiled. "It's been a while since I've done those, so it will be good practice."

Because Selina came to visit Andrew and Amelia often enough, the kitchen was fully stocked with everything she needed for her baking. She made up the dough and then called Thomas into the kitchen, handing him the batter-covered spoon that she'd stirred the chips in with. "Wanna lick the spoon?" She asked. "I usually do it myself, but I wanted you to this time."

"Thanks, but…I thought eating dough was bad for you," Thomas told her.

"Oh, I've been eating dough for years and nothing bad happened to me," Selina told him. "Come on, give it a try."

"All right," Thomas said and ate a little. "Wow," he said. "Now I know why people like eating cookie dough so much."

"I know, right?" Selina winked. She then made rows of cookie dough balls until the pan was full and put them in the oven to bake. "You won't have long to wait," she promised him. "Twelve minutes."

"Great!" Thomas smiled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Selina told him.

They headed back to the living room and chatted some more.

Andrew came home from work just as the cookies finished baking. He stopped inside the door and inhaled deeply as the scent of chocolate washed over him. "Is Selina visiting?" He called.

"Yes," Selina called back. "I am. And having a talk with my brother. Those are celebratory cookies."

"Wonderful," he said as she came in, put on a glove to protect her hands, pulled the cookie sheet out of the oven, and set the cookies down on a rack to cool. "Now don't eat any of those yet," she warned her uncle. "We don't want you to burn yourself."

"I won't," Andrew said, remembering the one time he hadn't listened to that advice. "The lesson is well-learned."

When they'd finally cooled, she presented one to Thomas. "Good?" She asked after he took a bite, getting chocolate on his chin.

"Oh, yes!" Thomas assured her through a full mouth. "Very good. You're a genius!"

"Now can I have some?" Andrew asked her.

"Well, yeah," Amelia nodded. "If Thomas is eating them, I don't see what's stopping you."

"Good point," Andrew nodded.

Then, Amelia looked at her son. "Any more questions?" She asked. "I know you probably have lots more."

"Only one," Thomas replied as he looked around him. "I hope this doesn't come off as rude, but…what's with the decorating scheme of this house?"

"It was Andrew's and my attempt to mesh our styles together," Amelia said. "Strange, I know, but….it's gotten us in more design magazines than you would think. Any other questions."

"Not at the moment," Thomas stood up. "Now I just want to enjoy the cookies."

"All right," Amelia nodded and followed him. "That's a good idea too."