"You didn't have to make that deal, you know," Malachai told Helene as she got to his house and they talked about the new custody arrangement with Sarah. "You didn't need to give up your job."

"Oh, it's fine," Helene told him as she sat down and watched the magical news, which had her resignation as a top headline, along with predictions that it would be a cutthroat race to replace her. "They were just looking for an excuse to get rid of me. The way I did it, as I said in court, I not only helped you, I got to leave with dignity."

"Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it," Malachai nodded. He then sighed and watched the television. "What do you think will happen now?"

"Something bad," Helene shuddered. "I hate to think what my mother is going to do to me when she gets back to the present and finds out she doesn't have a job anymore because I fucked everything up."

Malachai took her hand. "I wouldn't worry too much," he said. "Your mother is one of the kindest, most loving people I know. She'll forgive you. She'll understand."

"I don't know," Helene sighed, her dark eyes troubled. "That job meant a lot to her. She devoted practically her whole life to it, which is why I grew up an only child. At the very least, I'm sure she'll struggle with what to do with herself."

"You can help her find something," Malachai replied. "And you know what I think? I think your father will be happy to finally be able to see her every day."

"Yeah," Helene nodded, moving her gray skirt a little so it covered up more of her thigh. "Daddy would never say it to Mom because he knows she's passionate about her work, but I think the separation did wear on him. This could be good."

"There you go," Malachai replied. "Look at it that way and you have nothing to worry about."

A knock on the door heralded the arrival of Sarah. Helene went to open it just in case it was Matthew and she needed to run interference, but to her relief, it was Christine.

"Hi," She said as Helene invited her in. "I come bearing Sarah."

"I thought you would," Helene smiled. "Matthew too emotional to come?"

"Oh, no," Christine smiled and sat down. "He was perfectly willing to come, but I thought that given his feelings about Malachai, it would be best if he stayed away, at least for the first time." She paused. "Do you really think this arrangement of alternating weeks is going to help anything? I don't want to do anything that will make Sarah confused because she keeps getting passed back and forth."

"I think she'll be all right," Helene replied as she took Sarah in her lap. "She seems like a very easy-going child. If I thought she couldn't handle it, I wouldn't have suggested this arrangement in particular."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Christine agreed as she took her daughter's hand. "And it's not like I won't come and visit in the meantime."

"Exactly," Helene nodded. "You're more than welcome."

"Oh, hello, Christine," Malachai greeted her. "How nice to see you. Can I get you a drink or something?"

"Thank you," Christine nodded. "A water would be nice."

So Malachai went and got her a water and they talked a bit longer. "Anything I need to assure you about?" He asked Christine. "I know your husband is worried. Are you?"

"No," Christine shook her head. "I do admit that I feel better now that you have Helene helping you, though."

"And that's perfectly reasonable," Malachai conceded. "We'll take good care of her. You tell your husband that."

"I will," Christine agreed. Then, her phone rang and she rolled her eyes. "Speaking of my husband…" She put the phone against her ear. "What?" She barked.

"Why are you still there?" Matthew asked. "Why couldn't you just drop Sarah off and come back? You said you would!"

"I wanted to stay and have a little conversation," Christine told him firmly. "I told you to go to your brother's so he could keep your mind off what I was doing and it's not my fault you didn't listen, but stayed home and sulked instead. I'll be home when I decide I want to come, okay?"

"Fine," Matthew said, his voice sulky. "Just don't decide to move in with him, all right?"

"I won't," Christine assured him. "I promise."

"Wow, Matthew's really shook up about this, isn't he?" Helene asked, feeling genuinely dumbfounded.

"Yeah, he is," Christine sighed. "And I just…I wish I could help him deal with it, but I don't know how."

"You'll find a way," Helene told her. "I promise."

"Yes," Malachai agreed. "And even though your husband will never believe me, tell him that I'll be on my best behavior at all times."

"I will," Christine told him. "Like you say, it probably won't do much good, given how stubborn he is, but maybe if I repeat it enough times, it will finally get through that thick skull of his. It's something to shoot for."

When Matthew called again, Christine growled and then got up from the sofa. "He'll just keep calling until I come home, so I might as well do it. Thank you for your hospitality you two, and…and for taking such good care of my daughter."

"You're welcome," Malachai told her and gave her a brief hug. "It's our pleasure."

"So…how are things going with Amy?" Alistair asked. "Are you making progress?"

"Of course I am!" Klaus replied. "We're going out again this evening."

"You're not taking her to see one of those violent plays, are you?" Alistair wanted to know.

"No!" Klaus shook his head. "Give me a bit more credit than that."

"I'm just saying, there are certain things you do that would not be acceptable with a woman like Amy," Alistair said. "And you know what I'm talking about."

"Do you want to come with me and make sure I do all the right things?" Klaus asked dryly.

"Yes," Alistair nodded.

So they went to pick up Amy and managed to get an extra symphony ticket for Alistair. He enjoyed the performance immensely, but then looked over at intermission and realized that Klaus was not sitting next to him, and neither was Amy. Suddenly, a shriek rang out and Alistair got up from his seat, trying not to get trampled by the others who followed him. And soon, he found out what the screaming was: Klaus had a terrified Amy by the hair, and blood was flowing onto her dress because he'd bitten her deeply as a way to sate his hunger.

"Oh, for the love of god," he whispered to himself. "Why this? Why now? He was doing so well!" He quickly did magic that made everyone disperse and forget what they saw and then grabbed Amy. "Let's go home," he said. "No need for you to stay here."

"Yes," Amy nodded, staring at Klaus, whose mouth was covered in blood as he panted growled like an animal. "What's wrong with him? Is he crazy? He seemed so nice!"

"You don't seem as shocked as I thought you would be," Alistair replied, guessing that it was because she knew she was a witch and had seen worse, or things that were just as bad.

"I'm a witch," Amy told him quietly. "I know a thing or two about vampires." She sighed. "I guess I'll have to go back to Jonathan then."

"But that's good!" Alistair told her and suggested she wait for them in the cab while he took Klaus to the bathroom and cleaned him up.

"Why did you take me away from her?" Klaus asked Alistair. "I was hungry!"

"You can't feed like that in public!" Alistair scolded. "And if you hope to have a future with a woman like that, trying to kill her is a terrible way to make your suit." He of course remembered other times Klaus had gone full vampire on Amy and they hadn't ended well for either person. If Amy reacted the same way now as she had in the present, getting them to like each other well enough to go back was going to take forever. He growled in frustration and punched the wall.

"What's the matter with you?" Klaus asked. "There are other women if things don't work out with her."

Alistair turned to glare at him. "It's no use explaining to you why that doesn't work," he said. "Let's just go home. My head is beginning to throb."

They went to join Amy in the cab, where she sat very close to Alistair (practically squishing him against the window) while watching Klaus with suspicious as she wiped at her neck and stared in dismay at the blood that was drying on her dress.

As she thought he would, Jonathan had a terrible reaction to her when he came out to meet her with Margot following behind.

"What in the world happened?" He cried, hugging her. "Why are you covered in blood?!"

"He's a vampire," Amy told him with a sigh. "He probably just wanted to be near me for my neck." She paused. "I have to apologize for the way I acted. Will you take me back?"

"Of course I will," Jonathan told her. "I don't want you to have any more run-ins with dangerous men. You're safer with me."

"Let's get you cleaned up," Margot added, feeling a little resentful that things with Jonathan had been stopped so early, but more grateful that her sister wasn't dead. "And let's not tell Mother about this. Her heart condition will kick in again if she finds out."

"You're right," Amy replied, giving Alistair a wave over her sister's shoulder. "Thank you for bringing me home, Mr. Fale. Your help was invaluable."

"You're welcome, Miss Burke," Alistair told her. "Be safe, would you?"

He then went home, and to his surprise (or perhaps not) found Astrid in his room when he went in there to change into less formal clothes. "How was the opera?" She asked.

"It didn't go well," he said, keeping the door open a crack. "We had to leave early."

"I'm sorry," Astrid told him. "Can I help you find some other way to spend your time? We could continue what we did the other night. I enjoyed that. Although you don't have to tell me silly stories about time travel and how you and I are married if you want to get me in bed. You just have to smile that cute little smile and let me play with your hair."

Alistair chuckled. "All right," he said. "But we can't be occupied for too long. I don't want Klaus to think you're neglecting your housekeeping duties when he was so kind as to give them to you when you finished nursing me back to health."

"I actually had another chat with Klaus before, and he said that all I needed to do to maintain my place here was to continue watching after you and do what you wanted," she said. "He even told me he'd pay me."

"So you're offering to be my mistress?" Alistair asked, a little shocked. He'd never considered himself the 'have a mistress' type, but he supposed since Astrid was technically his wife, she just didn't remember that, he could take a mistress just this once.

"Yes," Astrid nodded. "Does that bother you?"

"No," He said and took her in his arms, kissing her.

"Good," Astrid smiled and turned around. "Would you unbutton me?"

"You want to start now?" Alistair asked.

"Why not?" Astrid wanted to know. "Do you have anything better to do?"

"No," Alistair said quickly as he began undoing her buttons. "I don't think I do."