Selina looked down at Elijah and flushed. The mood was completely destroyed now. She slowly got off him and went to dress.

"I hope you're proud of yourself," she snapped at Alistair. "You completely ruined the moment!"

"Well, I certainly didn't mean to," he said. "How was I supposed to know about any of this?"

Selina shrugged. "Oh, I don't know," she said. "It's just that we get so few moments like that that actually work out and none of them have been successful 'cause we keep getting interrupted by people."

"Well, I don't blame them," Alistair said. "What is going on? How did this happen?"

Selina shrugged. "Well, I don't know exactly. Nicky and I have been having problems and stuff has happened and that stuff kind of made Elijah and me come together, so..."

Alistair smirked. "How delightfully vague."

"Well, what do you want me to tell you?" Selina asked. "And why are you in the TV?"

"I'm...I don't know how you would put it. Hiding? Anyway, I got sent away after Enid's father took my body and my spirit's been on 'the other side', as people call it, but recently, Astrid found a way to call me up and get me free from being stuck behind mirrored surfaces and actually be able to walk around and talk to people."

"But won't that get you in trouble with Enid's father?" Selina asked. "Why are you taking the risk?"

"Because I miss my family," Alistair replied. Then he gave them a look. "And apparently, I've missed out on a lot of other stuff too."

Selina scoffed. "Please. You're acting like Elijah and me being together is some shocking, horrible thing, and I have to say I'm very offended by that."

"Well, I don't think it's horrible," Alistair told her. "But it is very jarring. Would you admit that?"

Selina nodded. "Well, I suppose for someone who's been out of the loop for as long as you, seeing me with someone else would be strange. And Susan died, I don't know if you knew that already."

Alistair nodded. "I might have heard that at some point, but I've forgotten now. Not that I would ever believe the two of you were capable of carrying on behind your spouses' backs." He raised an eyebrow at Selina. "Although am I correct in saying that Klaus isn't too happy about this development? Or doesn't he know?"

Selina nodded. "Oh, he knows. Who do you think the main person to interrupt us is? Yeah, it's him. And sometimes Lucy as well, but she's only a baby, so that's to be expected."

"Have you spoken to Adrian recently?" Alistair asked.

"Sure, why?" Selina said. "Is something wrong with him? What have you heard?"

"Well, he and Helene were together at the house the other day. Adrian was the one who told me about the two of you."

"Why are you so surprised about Adrian and Helene being together?" Selina asked.

Alistair shook his head. "Because I don't know what goes on with them anymore. One minute they're together, the next they've broken up, then they're together again...it's just so confusing."

"Well, I don't think they're together now," Selina said. "He's taken up with a werewolf named Tessa."

"Why does that seem familar to me?" Alistair asked.

"Oh, Tessa is the person whose body Helene stole in order to come back and be with Adrian, but apparently the powers that be decided Helene needed to be brought down a few pegs, so they allowed Tessa to come back in a completely new body and Helene and Adrian have broken up again, so I have no idea what she's up to now."

"I hope it's nothing bad," Alistair said. "We can't afford any more trouble."

"Oh, I'm sure she's not up to anything that would be a problem," Selina said with certainty. "I bet she learned her lesson after seeing what happened to you and she's keeping a low profile. That's what I would do if I were her."

"So did it work?" Myna asked. "Are you going to that lunch with Adrian?"

Helene shook her head. "I can't. He says it's just the family. Now remind me why is it you wanted me to go with him again?"

"I need to see how Selina's doing," Myna said. "I have to know if we need to give her another injection of blood. I mean, I saw something about two dead men being found on the side of the road somewhere, their bodies drained of blood, but I haven't seen anything about any babies dying."

Helene felt sick. "You gave her that blood so that she'd kill her daughter?"

"The plan was," Myna said testily, "That Selina, in a fit of blood overdose induced rage, would kill her daughter, then Klaus would get mad and kill her, so we'd have two out of the way, and then I'd be able to get him away and you could do the spell to make his werewolf side dormant. But it apparently isn't going as easily as I thought."

"It seems to me like you're leaving an awful lot to chance," Helene said. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? Or are you an amateur?"

"I'm not an amateur," Myna said. "I just thought it would be more difficult for me to kill Selina and her children face to face. It wasn't like Vanessa had much luck. She tried to kill that son of Selina's for years and she never succeeded."

"Well, Adrian can't be killed easily," Helene said. "Vanessa was full of hubris when she made the first members of her race indestructible. She should have realized that would spread to their descendents. But she didn't."

"How well would you say you know Adrian?" Myna asked her. "Could you try and pinpoint his weaknesses for me?"

"I don't know," Helene said. "You're just going to kill him once I tell you, right?"

Myna nodded. "Of course. Why else would I be looking for his weaknesses?"

Helene felt something deep in her stomach and it felt wrong. "I'm not so sure I want to help you hurt him," she said.

"Well, why not?" Myna asked. "I was under the impression that he hurt you horribly when he left you for that Tessa. Don't you want to take revenge for that?"

"Not anymore," Helene said. "I mean, I was lonely and angry at first, but then I reacquainted myself with Hanz and we have our own thing going, so it's not like my life is lacking in any way from Adrian not being in it."

"Oh, would you stop being so self-centered?" Myna snapped. 'This isn't about you! It's about all the people Adrian could potentially kill because of how powerful he is. Is there some witch code that says no creature on earth is allowed to be that powerful?"

"I'm sure there is," Helene said dryly. "But if you're looking for someone who gives a damn about witch codes and rules, I'm not that person. I mean, I killed several people myself after I died just so that Adrian would be able to see my spirit. So maybe I'm not the girl you're looking for after all."

"If you're not going to think of yourself, think about your father," Myna said after a moment. "I told you that if you helped me bring down Adrian and his parents, I would convince Vanessa's father to give yours a full pardon and a new chance at life. Are you just going to let him suffer because you've had some bad experiences with witch rules?"

Helene turned. "No. Of course I want you to help my father. Mama already called him up. He's visible in mirrors and other mirrored surfaces. We can talk to him. And the other day, I let his spirit out of the mirror. He can walk around in the real world now. He just needs a body."

"Is that so?" Myna asked. "How brave of you. Did you know the cost of your actions before you did them?"

"Yes," Helene nodded. "I know I'm in trouble. I know I'll probably end up being killed for what I did. But I don't care. My father got punished because of me, and I wanted to fix it."

Myna put her hands on her hips. "So you're just going to give up?" She asked. "You think that the only option available is you or your father? I could make it so both of you could live. Maybe not forever, but for awhile, anyway. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"I would, yes," Helene nodded.

"And if you help me, that would mean you get to kill that Tessa woman," Myna said encouragingly. "Remember that."

"But what good would that do me?" Helene asked. "Tessa would be dead and Adrian would know I did it, so it's not like he would suddenly say 'Now that Tessa's gone, I love you again, Helene. Let's run off to Vegas and live happily ever after'." She scrunched up her nose and shook her head. "I tried that already. It didn't work."

Myna grinned. "He might feel more enthusiastic about you if he knows that he'll die if he doesn't choose to be with you," she said. "Tell him that you'll kill him if he doesn't agree to be with you, and then see what he says."

"But what kind of a relationship would that be?" Helene asked. "I wouldn't feel comfortable in an arrangement like that."

"Oh, but wasn't that exactly what happened when you stole his girlfriend's body and made it your own? How is this any different?"

"Well, then there wasn't the looming threat of death!" Helene said. "I didn't steal Tessa's body and tell Adrian I'd kill him if he didn't learn to love me!"

"Well, however you slice it, you murdered for your own selfish gain," Myna said to her. "And that makes you exactly the kind of woman I'm looking for."

"That was a mistake," Helene told her. "I was angry. I wouldn't do it again."

"Well, maybe not intentionally," Myna agreed. "But there are other ways."

Helene backed away. "You can't compel me. I know you can't."

"Maybe not," Myna told her. "But I know someone who can. So here are your options: either you kill Tessa and and Adrian willingly, or I have Alek compel you to. Either way, both of them will be dead soon. So take your pick."

"Well, what are you going to do until I choose?" Helene asked.

"Well, you don't have forever," Myna warned. "I'll give you forty-eight hours. I have smaller fish I can deal with until then, Klaus' underlings who need to be dead."

"And about Klaus?" Helene asked. "Are you going to kill him or keep him?"

"Oh, I'm going to kill him eventually," Myna nodded. "He may have been Vanessa's pet, but she's not here anymore and I would much rather be with Alek. And if that's so, I can't have Klaus standing in the way, now can I?"

"Well, isn't this cozy?" Klaus asked the next day as he looked at Roxie, Adrian and Selina sitting around the table on the deck outside the local seafood restaurant. Selina had Lucy, who wore a yellow and white polka dot dress and daisy covered headband, on her lap.

"I suppose," Adrian said after a moment. "Remind me why we're doing this again?"

"Because I thought it would be nice if we spent some time together as a family," Klaus said to him. "I'm sorry if we're keeping you from something, Adrian."

"Yeah," Roxie said from her spot next to Klaus. "Family is more important than a slut werewolf girl. I would think you'd be able to keep it in your pants for at least an hour or two, but apparently, I might be wrong."

Adrian growled and leaned forward across the table. "Look who's talking. I know that you and Vince spent all of Charlie and Tony's wedding reception having sex in some closet, so don't you go calling Tessa a slut."

"Daddy, do you hear him talking to me like that?" Roxie complained. "Tell him to shut up, would you?"

"Oh, that's right!" Adrian shot back. "Go running to Daddy every time somebody says something unflattering about you, even if it is the truth!"

"Okay, okay, that is enough!" Selina said. "Everybody stop snapping at each other right now!"

"Or what?" Adrian asked. "We're going to end this and get in the car to go home? I tell you what, that would be a real tragedy."

"All I'm asking for is some maturity and civility from both of you," Selina said quietly, looking back and forth between her elder children. "Please. Lucy's just a baby and she's handling things much better than either of you."

Adrian looked at Roxie. "I will if she will."

"You will because I asked you nicely and because it's the right thing to do," Selina said severely. "You shouldn't have to be commanded to be polite. Now I want you two to tell each other you're sorry and then we'll forget all about this."

"Fine," Adrian said. "Roxie, I'm sorry I insulted you. It was out of line."

Roxie smirked. "Well, thank you."

"And now you," Selina told her.

"Why me?" She asked. "I didn't do anything."

Klaus looked up at her. "Roxanne, apologize to your brother."

Roxie rolled her eyes. "Fine. Adrian, I'm sorry I insulted Tessa. If you want to date an inferior woman, that's your prerogative and it's none of my business."

"That's not much of an apology," Adrian said. "Try again."

"I'd take it as it is if I were you," Klaus told him. "It's more than she's given anyone else who's made her angry."

"There's a big surprise," Adrian said to his father. "You're sticking up for her like you always do, even if she acts like a spoiled brat. She's never been held accountable for anything in her life because of you."

"Adrian, just let it go," Selina said. "Be the better person."

"What kind of crap is that, Mom?" Adrian asked her. "You're not actually saying what I think you're saying, are you? Or has Dad broken your spirit to the point where you just don't care anymore?"

Selina stood up and handed Lucy to Klaus. Then she gave Adrian a look. "That's none of your business," she said to him. "This has nothing to do with your father and me. I just...I just wanted this to go well today, that's all. And I thought you cared enough about me that you'd help me with that. But I guess not." She looked around the table, her lower lip quivering. "I'm going to go home," she said. "I'm going to go home, lie down and think about the hell my life has become because everyone in my family only gives a damn about themselves and nobody gives a damn about me or my feelings." She wiped tears from her eyes. "Could I have the keys, Nicky?" She asked Klaus.

He nodded and handed them to her. "Go and rest," he said. "I'll handle things here." As Selina turned away, he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Let me walk you to your car," he said. "I'm sure Adrian and Roxanne would like some time to think about their actions today." He glared at them and they sunk down in their seats.

She shook her head. "I should be able to manage all right," she said. "But thank you for offering." As she left, the waiter came with everyone's lunches. "Will you be coming back," he asked her, "or should I take your luch back to the kitchen?"

"Take it back, please," Selina said to him. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"Do you want me to come and check on you when I get back?" Klaus asked her.

"Yeah," Selina sniffled. "That would be nice."

Then, she walked away from them and, without looking back, got in her car and drove home.

Selina started when the bedroom door opened. Klaus asked her quietly,"are you all right?"

She got off the bed and came toward him. "No," she said. "I don't think I am. But you can help me. Would you help me?"

"Of course," he nodded. "What do you need?"

When their lips were practically touching, she whispered, "I need you. If you still want me."

"Of course I do," Klaus whispered back. "I've always wanted you. You know that."

She leaned forward and kissed him, her arms going around his neck. He ran his hands down her back and over her butt, then picked her up and lowered her onto the bed, removing her blouse and kissing down her collarbone to the edge of the cups of her bra. She moaned. Then the door burst open. "What's going on here?" Elijah asked after looking at them for a moment.

Selina pushed Klaus off her and on to the floor and put her shirt back on again. "Why did you come here?" she asked.

"Adrian called me," he said. "He told me that you were upset and he was afraid that in your sorrow you'd do something stupid."

As Klaus struggled to get to his feet, his phone rang.

"What!" He barked.

"It's Brian, Corey and Tim," Vince said. "They're all dead. It's that girlfriend of yours, Myna, that did it. And she's gone now, but said she'd come back to kill more of us. Do you want that?"

"No," Klaus said through his teeth. "I'll be there in a minute." Angrily, he left the room and then Elijah went to Selina's bedside. "I also came here for another reason: because I thought we should talk," he said. "About what you said yesterday."

"I said lots of things," Selina told him. "What are you referring to?"

"I'm referring to where you told me you believe I'm using my morals as an excuse to lead you on."

"Well, aren't you?" Selina asked.

He sighed and pulled her into his arms. "Perhaps you have a small point. You have a right to be angry with me. But why is it you felt you needed to get in bed with Niklaus?"

Selina groaned. "I wasn't going to sleep with him. I just..." She sighed. "You know what? Never mind. This is my problem and I shouldn't dump it on you."

"No," Elijah said, brushing her hair out of her eyes and putting a hand on her cheek. "Go ahead and tell me. Clearly, something is wrong."

"But it's a ridiculous problem," she said. "If I tell you what's wrong, I'm going to come out sounding like a tragic opera heroine, crying buckets with running mascara and yelling 'I just want to be loved!' It makes me sick to think about." She smirked and shook her head.

"You don't feel loved?" Elijah asked.

She shook her head. "No, not really. Ever since I had Lucy and Sam, I've tried my best to make sure they got to know thier fathers, even though their fathers are just huge temptations for me. I watch Damon and Nicky interact with the twins and I think 'Where did we go wrong? How is it that they can be so loving and caring toward the twins and treat me like...like a toy? You are the one man in my life who doesn't treat me like a toy, so just for a few minutes, right now, could you put your morals aside and...love me?"

He sighed, looked deeply into her eyes, and then slowly leaned forward and kissed her deeply. Then, he pulled away. "All right," he said. "But I can't do this now. Not when you're tense and sad."

"I don't understand," she said quietly.

He took her hand and led her into the bathroom, turning on the faucet to the bathtub and watching the water run before sticking his fingers in to make sure it wasn't too hot. "Get in," he said. "I want you relaxed."

She managed a small smile. "I don't have to be alone in there, do I?"

He shook his head. "Not if you don't want to."

She nodded and stripped off her clothes, climbing into the tub. Then, leaning against the side with her arms on the edge, she watched him undress, a whimper escaping her lips. He grinned and climbed in beside her. Then, he grabbed a loofah, got some body wash on it, and ran it up and down her back.

"That feels nice," she said. Then, he washed her shoulders and arms and turned her around so that she was facing him. He ran the loofah down her neck and over her collarbone. When he got to her breasts, he paused and put the loofah on the edge of the tub, then he put one arm on her back and leaned forward, sucking first on one nipple then the other. Sweet pain shot through her body and she cried out, threading her fingers through his hair. His lips were soft and wonderful. She wondered what else they could do. When she was bursting with need, he pulled away, grabbed the loofah and finished washing her off, then helped her out of the tub and leisurely dried her off.

"Go get in bed," he said. "I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay," she nodded.

But when he left the bathroom, she was standing next to the bed, wearing a red silk bathrobe. When she saw him, she grinned saucily, untied the tie on the robe and let it fall in a ruby puddle at her feet. Then, gave him a wink and boosted herself onto the bed.

Feeling stupid as if all the blood had left his brain for other parts of his body, Elijah did his best to cross the room and when he reached the bed, she grinned and ruffled his hair. "What took you so long?" she asked.

"I had to get lotion," he said. "Lie down."

She obeyed and just like he had on Halloween, he slathered lotion all over every part of her body, and by the time he was done, she felt like all her limbs had turned to mush. She moaned happily. "That was good," she said.

"We're not done yet," he said to her.

She sat up. "We better not be," she said. She leaned forward and kissed him, first his lips, then his chin and down his neck. He moaned now and pushed her back down on the bed so she was looking up at him with challenge in her blue eyes. "My goodness, Miss Stinson," he said. "You like to play dirty, don't you?"

She grinned. "Of course, Mr. Richmond. Don't you?"

He nodded. "Oh, yes." He leaned down and kissed her stomach, then ran his tongue around the inside of her belly button a few times. She writhed underneath him. Her skin was hot, although whether from the bath or her own need he wasn't sure. He moved his hand slowly down her leg and over her foot, and then finally, he parted her, bringing his tongue inside her body, keeping his eyes on her face so he could see every expression she made. She shrieked his name and her hips bucked forward. She tasted so sweet that he thought he would die. After awhile, he slowly pulled out of her. Her cheeks were flushed and she was straining.

"You're killing me," she whispered. "You're killing me."

"Patience," he whispered, kissing her inner thigh and making her whimper again. Then he took her hand and put one of her fingers in his mouth, sucking on it slowly. She shrieked again and he let her fall back on the pillows before leaning down to kiss her and then ever so slowly, he entered her. She shrieked and laughed, her body bolting upright. She put her arm aroud his neck as he pulled out of her almost all the way and then pushed in again. And again. And again. Finally, neither of them could breathe anymore and he rolled off her, landing next to her on the bed. Then, she slowly reached out and stroked him under the covers, turning to him and grinning. "Relax," she told him. "You've worked hard."

He laughed. "I can't relax when I'm near you," he said. "You're just so beautiful, so sweet, so svelte." He pulled her to him and kissed her again. She smiled. "You act like I'm going to disappear if you let me go."

He shook his head. "No," he said. "I'm never going to let you go again."

"It was all your fault," Adrian said to Roxie as he followed her to Selina's apartment and they paused by the door. "You made Mom upset. You should tell her you're sorry."

"What about you?" Roxie shot back. "You made her have just as crappy a time as I did. You have to apologize too!"

"I will," he said. "But later. You go first."

Roxie rolled her eyes. "Fine." She went inside and saw no one in the living room. Everything was quiet. She went in further. As she reached the bedroom, she heard quite a racket. She put a hand on the doorknob, pondering whether or not she should go in. In her mother's current mood, she might have gone all wolfy with destroying her furniture and breaking the windows. Roxie knew she couldn't let that happen. She had to stop things before they got worse. She opened the door.

"It's all right, Mom," she said. "I know you're upset and I know I caused it, but I'm here, I'm sorry, and I want to help you." Her words were drowned out by a scream, however. She paused and screamed herself when she realized that her mother's bed held both her mother and her uncle Elijah. They were completely undressed and hastily covering themselves up with sheets. "Oh, my god," she said quietly. "Oh, my god."

"We can explain," Selina said. "Just give us a minute-"

"No," Roxie said, backing out of the room. "No. I-I can't. I have to go. Bye." She shut the door behind her, then ran to the bathroom and threw up. Then, when she got her bearings again, she called her father to tell him what she'd seen.