"Are you still as glad as I am that you're pregnant?" Elijah asked as he brought Selina her blood and toast.

"Of course I am," Selina replied, trying not to think about the nausea that would undoubtedly wash over her soon and make the pounding in her head worse. "It's just delightful."

"Well, I'll get you some wash cloths for your head and some crackers for your stomach," he told her. "I hope that makes you feel better." He paused. "Have you told your mother about your condition yet?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "I don't know when I'm gonna do that. If I do it now she might want to come over and help me and I already have you for that."

"And you don't want there to be any trouble," Elijah nodded. "I understand. But I promise that if your mother did come and wish to help you too, I wouldn't get in the way of that."

"I think I'll just tell her," Selina replied. "And when you tell your father, let me know after. It always makes me chuckle to hear the praise he heaps on me in this situation when he hates me the rest of the time."

"Yes, I suppose I should tell him," Elijah replied as he sat down on the bed and gently took her in his arms. "I know that pregnancy isn't exactly a fun process for you, but I'm glad it finally happened."

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "Me too." She then gagged and ran for the bathroom, emerging a few minutes later and wiping her mouth with a towel before climbing back into bed. Elijah tucked her in again and asked, "Are you okay here or would you like me to set up the pillows and blankets in the tub like I did when you were pregnant with Gregory so you don't have to walk so far when you need the bathroom?"

"No, thanks," Selina shook her head and shifted her position more toward her side. "I just need the crackers, blood, and wash cloths and I'll be good."

"All right," Elijah told her and gave her a kiss. "Coming right up."

He went and got her requests, then let her sleep, going to call his father in the meantime to tell him what happened.

"She's pregnant again?" Mikael asked. "How many does that make?"

"This will be nine," Elijah told him. "I'm pretty sure that's the right number."

"Well, for all her short-comings, she's not letting you down in the fertility department," Mikael said.

"You always say that," Elijah huffed. "And I don't know what short-comings you're talking about."

"I'm sure you could think of some if you tried," Mikael told him.

"I'm only telling you what happened out of courtesy," Elijah told him through his teeth. "I just want a simple 'Congratulations to you and your wife, son', and that's it. I don't need anything else."

"Well, all right," Mikael told him. "I suppose I can do that. Congratulations to you and your wife, son."

"Thank you, Father," Elijah said curtly and ended the call to go back to Selina.

"Who were you talking to?" Gwen asked Mikael after he put the phone in the cradle. "I mean, it shouldn't be hard to guess because not many people call here in the first place. Was it King? I could have talked to him, you know."

"It wasn't King," Mikael shook his head. "It was Elijah. Apparently, he and Selina are expecting again."

"They are?" Gwen smiled. "How lovely. How many will that make for them? Quite a few, if I remember correctly."

"Yes," Mikael nodded. "Elijah said this would be number nine. I don't know whether to be happy or exasperated."

"Why would you be exasperated about becoming a grandfather again?" Gwen asked as she hugged him. "It's exciting! In fact, I often wondered why King and Vivi haven't tried again. They started when they were so young. It's been years!"

"Do you really want to hear my tirade about how I can't stand that wife of his?" Mikael asked.

"No," Gwen shook her head. "I think I've heard it enough times already. So she made a fool of you once. Get over it."

"No, I can't do that, Gwendolyn!" Mikael replied, stepping away from her and looking horrified. "A man's pride doesn't forget things so easily."

"Well, then a man's pride is stupid," Gwen replied. "You'd have a much more enjoyable life if you would just learn to let certain things go."

"No," Mikael said, crossing his arms and pouting like a child. "I won't. I prefer my anger."

"All right," Gwen said and kissed him. "Be angry. But you can't say I didn't try and help you to be otherwise."

"Amelia, I don't think she's avoiding us," Andrew told her patiently as Amelia sat with phone in hand, looking through the calls and bemoaning the fact that none of them had come from her daughter for more than a week. "I'm sure that if she hasn't called, there's a reason for it."

"Cause I haven't been mean to her," Amelia said. "You know that, right?"

"Yes," Andrew nodded. "I know that."

"What if she's hurt?" Amelia fretted. "What if something bad has happened to her and she can't reach me?"

"I'm sure that if something bad has happened, she and her husband are taking care of it," Andrew said. "So you just relax."

"No," Amelia shook her head and got up to grab her coat. "I just have to go and see."

"She never listens to me," Andrew mumbled under his breath before yelling, "Thomas, code red!"

"Amelia, I need your help with something," Thomas said, suddenly appearing by the door.

"Of course, dear," Amelia told him. "What is it?"

"It's, um…well," He started coughing. "I need…I don't feel well."

"You don't?" Amelia asked. "Well, go lie down and we'll see what we can do to get you better!"

While Amelia fussed over Thomas, Andrew called Selina's house himself to check up.

"We were going to call you and Amelia," Elijah told him. "Sorry it took so long, but Selina…she hasn't been feeling well."

"Really?" Andrew asked. "What's the matter with her? What could possibly make a vampire ill?"

"She's actually expecting," Elijah told him. "Don't ask me to explain how. It's very complicated. She's expecting and the first few months always make her very tired and ill."

"How unfortunate," Andrew sympathized, stroking the dark stubble on his face. "Congratulations to both of you, however. Am I allowed to tell Amelia, or should I keep it quiet until Selina's back on her feet?"

"I'll let her tell you about that," Elijah replied. "Although from what she's already told me, I think she would prefer for Amelia to hear once she's no longer ill."

"I thought as much," Andrew told her. "I promise I won't say a word."

"Thank you," Elijah told him. "I know it's been a while since Amelia has heard from her daughter, so you can tell her anything to ease her mind about that, but leave the truth to your niece."

"Oh, of course," Andrew nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"All right," Elijah told him. "Would you like to talk to her?"

"I would," Andrew said. "If it won't wear her out."

"I'm sure a short conversation wouldn't hurt," Elijah assured him.

And short it was, with things being cut off when Amelia came to face him with her hands on her hips as Thomas trailed behind him looking ashamed. "It didn't take her long to figure out that I wasn't ill," he said. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Amelia frowned. "I'm smart that way." She looked between her husband and her son. "What's going on with you two? What are you trying to distract me from?"

"We were just trying to get your mind off Selina," Andrew said. "You're worrying about her for nothing. I just talked to Elijah and she hasn't called cause she's not feeling well, but she and Elijah have it all under control and she'll talk to you when she's feeling better."

Amelia scoffed. "Well, that just confirms it. She is avoiding me! I'm not stupid! I know vampires can't be ill!"

"It's a problem with her werewolf side," Andrew said seriously. "She's got…a really bad flea infestation."

"What?" Amelia cried, her face twisting in revulsion. "That is disgusting!"

"It's not my fault you're disgusted," Andrew shrugged. "You're the one who wanted details. And I assume you don't want to be infested either so you won't bother her until you're told that she's free and clear of all bugs?"

"Of course," Amelia nodded. "You don't have to tell me twice."

Amelia strode away and Thomas said to his father, "What's the real reason for why Selina hasn't called?"

"She's expecting a child," Andrew whispered. "It's still in the early stages and she doesn't want there to be a tussle over her care since her husband has already assumed the role of caretaker."

"Ah," Thomas nodded. "I can understand that. It's a smart move on her part."

"Yes," Andrew said thoughtfully. "My niece knows her mother well."

"You said you needed to talk to me?" Charlotte asked Steve when she came to the Council building to meet him on his lunch break. "What about?"

"It's about that little favor you need from me," Steve told her. "I have good news and I have bad news about it."

"Oh," Charlotte felt her heart sink. "It can't be done? Is that what you called me for? To tell me not to get my hopes up?"

"No, now just a minute," Steve said. "Don't get all upset over nothing. The good news is that you will be able to get what you want."

"Well, good!" Charlotte smiled. Then she sobered. "What's the bad news?"

"The bad news is that you'll be living on borrowed time," Steve sighed. "Since this relationship with the man you like wasn't supposed to happen, it won't last. It technically shouldn't even be happening in the first place, but Clarence is a softie and after he read your romantic history, he felt you should at least have a chance if you want it. But you'll die much sooner than you'd like. The question is, do you think it'll be worth it to be brought back to life only to die and have your family bury you again? Or do you just want to forget the whole thing? That's the choice you have to make."

Charlotte heard this and sighed. "It would be selfish of me to put my family through burying me again. But at the same time…I do want to be with Thomas for as long as I can. I'll do it. I'll take what time I can and make the most of it."

"That's what I thought you'd say," Steve smiled. "And I think you made the right choice."

They went to see Clarence who looked at Charlotte knowingly. "I thought you'd choose to be brought back," he said.

"I don't care if you think I'm doing the wrong thing," Charlotte told him. "I deserve to be loved. Even if it's just for a little while."

"I'm not judging you," Clarence replied. "If I had any problem with this, I wouldn't be offering to help."

"And you won't get in trouble with anyone for your part in it, will you?" Charlotte asked him.

"I'm all about love," Clarence told her firmly. "That's what matters. Not what happens to me as a result of making love happen. Now, where are you buried?"

"Mystic Falls Cemetery, Mystic Falls Virgina," Charlotte told him.

"All right," Clarence smiled at her, showing shiny white teeth. "Let's go."

The process to bring her back took some time, so it was nightfall when she shimmied up the side of the house to Thomas' bedroom, and got inside, falling to the floor with a thump. This made Thomas shoot up in bed and turn on the light over his head. "What is it?" He called as she was struggling to her feet. "Who's in here?"

"It's me, Thomas," she said, coming to stand next to him. "It's me. Sorry I woke you, but I wanted to tell you the news as soon as possible."

"What news?" Thomas asked. "Charlotte, what's going on?"

"I'm alive again," she said. "It's only for a little while, mind you, but I'm alive again." She smiled. "Isn't that wonderful?"

"I-I can't believe it," Thomas said, feeling more wide awake as he took her in his arms and kissed her. "Are you sure this is real? Cause what I feel, I imagined it all when you were a spirit."

Charlotte detached his hands from her body and walked straight into the closed bathroom door. "Ow," she said. "That hurt."

"Well, don't do that," Thomas chided. "You didn't have to hurt yourself."

"I didn't know of any other way to prove it," Charlotte told him, her hand on her head. "You're handling this very well."

"After ghosts, this is hardly any more strange," Thomas replied. "But I wonder how everyone else will react: Andrew, Amelia, your sons."

"They probably won't be as easy-going about it as you," Charlotte told him and gave him a kiss. "But the fact that you can accept it makes me happy, because that's all I really care about."