AN: I suppose it's about time I posted this. Even though this is mostly a filler chapter (again), I awarded you all with some good-old sibling bonding. This story needs more! After watching the entire first season of The Originals, I am now officially in love with Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah. I also don't think I've been doing Klaus justice. He is so tragically adorable, it's heartbreaking!
I know I can reply to reviews personally, but I like to publically thank my wonderful reviewers.
To Jenny Mikaelson: I haven't replied to you in a while. Thanks for faithfully reviewing, darling! Romance isn't my preferred drama; but I know other people enjoy it, so I make an effort to include it. I think I've an idea for just about everybody. Stebekah will take time, I'm afraid! Just out of curiosity, is there any sibling bonding you would like to see? I've tried including lots of it, but I know I've left some out. Enjoy this chapter!
To kadienewberg: Cookies and creams to you for reviewing again! Writing that scene between E.J. and Damon was hard. And I realized afterwards that Damon actually was an uncle before he knew about E.J. Um, can we call that creative license? By the way, you don't have your heart set on Bamon, do you? Because I've been leaning more toward Kennett, and pairing Damon up with a yet-to-be-introduced character. Thoughts? Any sibling bonding you want to see? Let me know!
To VampFreaks: Thanks for the review! I recognize your penname, but I'm not sure from where. Anyhoo, I suppose it wasn't coincidence that your review came on the day I finally made myself upload this chapter. Thanks for motivating me! Stebekah will take some time to develop, but we'll get there.
To everyone: Before I let you all get to the story, I've a quick question. I mentioned a few chapters back (I doubt many of you remember because it was in Chapter 14, I believe) that I'm having Mshiagi "bring back" some people. I know I'm bringing back three, and I've already got two picked out, but I realized my third pick wouldn't work. Anybody you'd all like to see brought back to life? He/she can't have "found peace" (it doesn't work with the story), and he/she would have preferably been human at one point in the series. But I'll take a vampire or witch, too, although I might have to decline on werewolves for reasons I can't tell you. Let me know what you all think in a review or PM, whichever you prefer.
Chapter 19
She was too old for it, Rebekah had argued. Her brothers had no right. They were not her father. (That one had not gone over well.) At first she had bitched, then she had refused with folded arms and a pout, and only when she still was unsuccessful had she resorted to begging. After so long, Rebekah liked to think she had the act down: quivering lips; wide, glittering eyes; and tremors throughout her body. Even her last resort had not cut it.
They had still grounded her, Elijah in particular. Her eldest brother might have said "we" and "us," but Rebekah knew that he had made the final decision. "Jerk," she mumbled. Even as irritated as she was, she couldn't quite bring herself to call Elijah a nastier name.
It wasn't her fault she had disappeared for hours with no trace. They could blame Pandora for that. But try explaining that to four stressing-out older brothers. Even Kol had been visibly upset. When Niklaus had demanded to know what "that crazy bitch lady had done with her," Rebekah had given him no answer.
"What are you talking about?" she had mumbled. Instinctually, she had known he was referring to Pandora, but she found herself unwilling to relay to her brothers where she had been.
Kol had turned to Niklaus at that point. "Told you you were hallucinating," he had snorted rudely. Niklaus's weak glare had failed to make the younger Original flinch.
Finn had looked solemn. "Are you certain you are not on drugs, Niklaus?" he had asked.
"For the last time, Finn," Niklaus had muttered darkly, "I am not doing drugs."
For his part, Elijah had done a spectacular job of ignoring the three of them whilst he continued to lecture Rebekah. "It doesn't matter where you were," he had finished with a sigh. "You had us worried."
Finn had turned his attention away from Niklaus to frown at her. "Did you sneak out?" he had demanded in irritation.
Rebekah's face had flushed in embarrassment. "No!" she had replied petulantly.
Her arguments had fallen on deaf ears: her punishment set in stone no matter what she said. When she had been in danger of throwing a tantrum, Finn had promptly ordered her up to her room. Rebekah had whirled on him, snapping unwisely that he was not the boss of her, but she should have known better. At his dark glare and sudden advancing toward her, Rebekah had squeaked in fright and rushed off to do his bidding.
Elijah's voice had drifted to her ears as she scampered up to her room and shut the door: "That was not necessary, Finn."
Now she was curled up on her bed sulking. Why did Finn have to be so mean? So she had been whining like a preschooler who had just had her favorite doll taken away, so what! He didn't have to order her around as if she were a little kid again.
"Stupid Finn," she mumbled, wrapping herself around the bedraggled doll in her arms. Miss Susie Ann was her most prized possession, the only thing besides her brothers she had left from her childhood. The doll had been reinforced with many spells to keep it from falling apart, but even those had not kept it pristine.
Rebekah held the doll up above her head. "Aren't my brothers big jerks with burrs up their bums?" she asked the doll. With a flick from Rebekah's wrists, the doll's head jerked in what could be interpreted as a nod.
Sighing loudly, she dropped the doll back down onto her bed and scowled. At the knock at her door, her scowl deepened, but she knew nothing she said would make him go away. She had been in her room for hours, and she knew it was nearing daybreak.
When she failed to answer, her brother took the initiative to pick the lock and waltz his merry way in. Rebekah stayed stretched out on her bed, her head buried in her pillow.
Her brother perched on the end of her bed and reached out a hand to tap her bare foot. "Bekah?" he asked teasingly.
Rebekah sighed loudly and finally turned herself over to glare at him. "What is it you want, Kol?" she grouched.
With a flash of a malicious grin, Kol locked his gaze on hers and tugged on her ankle with slender fingers. "I think I'm owed an apology," he chirped, grinning. Rebekah only stared. "You didn't whine at me when Elijah told you we'd grounded you."
Rebekah narrowed her eyes at him and sat up, yanking her foot away from him with one jerk. His smirk irritated her, but she ignored it. "Am I supposed to know what that means?" she growled.
Kol shrugged. "When we couldn't find you and assumed you'd run off, Elijah called another of those family meetings to ask me, Finn, and Nik what we thought your punishment should be." Rebekah didn't like where this was going. "Nik thought we should take away your bedroom door." Despite how far up his sister's eyebrows shot, Kol didn't even acknowledge her reaction. "Finn and Elijah were leaning toward some more old-fashioned disciplining." Though she was irritated, Rebekah couldn't say she was surprised her eldest brothers had proposed a more childish punishment than even grounding.
Kol suddenly leaned forward and pecked her cheek. "You should be thanking me," he chuckled. "I suggested we ground you, and Elijah thought that was a better-suited option. Finn and Nik weren't as onboard, but, eh? You win some, you lose some."
Rebekah snorted and rolled her eyes. "If you think I'm thanking you," she snarled, "then you were born yesterday."
Moving too fast for Rebekah to register, Kol surged forward and pinned her to her bed, holding her arms up above her head. Rebekah glared up at him, but she found it difficult to be menacing when he was on top of her.
Kol grinned maliciously and winked down at her. "Don't forget, love," he teased. "I might not be smarter, but I am tougher than you."
Rebekah laughed and squirmed. "I'm glad to hear you admit that," she returned, her lips curling up into a smile. Her brother cocked his head at her, and she sighed. "Now, big brother, would you mind letting me up? Seeing as you are so much tougher than I am, that is."
As she knew he would, Kol released her wrists and eased off her, and she stole her opportunity. Kol squawked when she tackled him to the floor, climbed atop him, and bit his ear. The wrestling match eased away some of Rebekah's irritation, her brother's high-pitched laughter beneath her making her smile. She knew if he weren't too busy laughing, he would have thrown her off already.
Bored with their play-wrestling, Kol and Rebekah returned to sitting on her bed, Kol swinging his legs and Rebekah lying on her back.
"Are you upset with Finn?" asked Kol mildly, startling his sister out of her thoughts.
She sighed and groaned, reaching up to run a hand through her hair. "I suppose not," she mumbled, shifting to her side so she could peer up at Kol. While his gaze on her was so intense, Rebekah felt she should say more. "I know I shouldn't have back-talked to him when he sent me up here," she sighed.
Kol nodded. "'Not the boss of you?'" he giggled, rolling his eyes. "Finn's got fourteen years on you, little sister. He's as much the boss of you as Elijah is."
Pulling herself back up to sit beside her brother, Rebekah frowned deeply at a vague spot on the wall beside her door. "I know he is," she muttered. "He's just been gone a long time. I've forgotten he's as bossy as Elijah."
Kol shrugged. "I wouldn't call either of them 'bossy,' dear sister," he chided. "They just take charge."
If Rebekah were honest with herself, she would admit that she wanted her eldest brothers to "take charge." While running around with Niklaus and Elijah, Rebekah had wearied of her third brother's hunger for control and domineering attitude. She had been too timid to stand up to Niklaus, and for whatever reason, Elijah had let the younger Mikaelson walk all over him. Perhaps she could grow used to having her eldest brothers assume near-parental authority over her again. If they were not so much older than she, their relationship might be different.
At least Kol didn't feel the need to tell her what to do. As if he had read her thoughts (which he very well might have), his malicious grin returned, and he leaned in closer to Rebekah. "Does that make me your favorite?" he whispered into her ear.
Rebekah quirked up an eyebrow at him. "We've been through this before, Kol," she rebutted, amused. "I've no 'favorite brother.'"
Kol scowled. "Nonsense! Everybody has a favorite everything."
Before Rebekah could refute his illogical statement, she was interrupted by a second knock on her now ajar door. Her eyes flicked up to stare at Finn, who had not moved to enter the room.
"I just thought I would let you know," he said coolly, "that you are no longer confined to your room if you wish to come downstairs."
At his formal tone, Rebekah was torn between laughing and rolling her eyes. Was Finn so incapable of emotion that he couldn't have told her that in a less formal manner?
Deciding to return his formality for its opposite, Rebekah hopped to her feet and beamed at him. "Okay, Finny," she chirped. Finn stared at her as she skipped across the room and continued to beam up at him. "Are you still mad at me?" she asked cutely, batting her eyelashes.
Her response had the desired effect of throwing her stoic brother off. "I was never mad at you," he muttered. "Perhaps a little offended, but not mad."
Rebekah was surprisingly pleased to hear he wasn't angry with her. Standing on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek before pulling away and dashing off.
Kol's and Finn's eyes met. "What just happened?" mumbled Finn.
Smirking, Kol hopped to his feet and trotted over to join his brother at the door. "Whatever do you mean, Finny?" chirped Kol, leaning forward to kiss his brother's cheek as well.
Finn stared at him. "Not you, too," he hissed.
Kol linked his arm through his brother's and tugged him out the door. "What you say you and me head to the parlor for a pint of brandy?"
Finn smiled weakly. "I'd like that very much."
TVDTVDTVDTVDTVD
Too preoccupied with his thoughts to notice the presences nearing the house, Stefan continued to sip daintily at his mug of now-cold blood. This particular variety was from a rabbit. Even though Stefan knew he could consume small portions of human blood without compromising his humanity, he still preferred to drink from a creature that did not talk back.
He started when he heard the backdoor leading out to the backyard garden be thrown open. Blinking tiredly at the two who had just entered, Stefan could only stare at the scene before him. Damon and E.J. were standing within feet of each other, and yet no blood had been drawn. It almost appeared as if the two were having a civil conversation.
Damon glanced up and noticed his sullen brother staring at him from his place seated at the island in the kitchen. Shaking his head in disappointment, Damon strolled past his brother to the other side of the island where he plopped down.
E.J. looked between the two elder vampires, uncertainty in her eyes. "Um," she mumbled, taking a small step backward, "I think I'm gonna go find Rebekah."
Stefan watched his daughter leave, his eyes dulling at what he interpreted as her not wanting to be near him. "She hates me," he mumbled.
Damon shook his head and sighed, miming flicking his brother between the eyes. "If she doesn't hate even me, brother dear," mocked Damon, "then I can assure you she does not hate you."
Stefan frowned, staring down into his half-full glass. "Have you ever seen E.J. drink blood?" he asked suddenly, swiftly changing the subject.
Aware of his brother's motives, Damon was tempted to ignore the question, but the implications intrigued him. To be honest, he never had seen E.J. partake of the heavenly goodness that was blood, but he had never before concerned himself with the girl's dietary habits.
In answer, Damon shrugged. "I cannot recall," he said, "ever seeing her have any, no."
"That's not healthy," grouched Stefan, lips twitching in irritation.
Damon quirked an eyebrow. "I've been telling you that for years about drinking animal blood," he teased maliciously, "and you've always told me to mind my own business."
Glaring at his older brother over the rim of his glass, Stefan glowered as he took another sip. "She's my daughter, Damon," he growled. "The situation is a tad different, don't you think?"
Damon cocked his head. His mind whirled with calculating precision as he watched his younger brother sip at his blood. The younger man had not been this moody earlier. Had something happened?
"My," hissed Damon, "aren't we testy this morning?"
Sighing, Stefan dropped his mug to the island countertop with a clatter. Splatters of blood dotted the vampire's hand, but he ignored them. "Don't mess with me, Damon," muttered Stefan.
With a roll of his eyes, Damon was up and speeding around the island and behind his brother faster than the other vampire could register. Damon had taken his brother's grumbling as a personal challenge. If Stefan could be a grouch, then Damon could be an infuriating asshole.
Hugging his brother from behind in order to pin his arms to his side, Damon leaned down and pressed his mouth to his brother's neck, tickling Stefan with his hot breath. Stefan grunted and jerked forward, but he was held fast in the vise-like hug.
"Tell me, Stefan," Damon teased, cracking his mouth open and grazing his brother's skin with his sharp teeth. Stefan stiffened. "What might you do if I sank my teeth into your neck and drank from you as was my heart's desire?"
Stefan sighed and fell back against his brother, too tired to play games with Damon. "I imagine nothing," he grumbled in reply, "seeing as I would not be in any shape to do much of anything."
Mock-pouting, Damon kissed his brother's neck and withdrew his arms, resting his hands on Stefan's shoulders instead. "I was hoping for more animosity," sighed Damon, sinking his fingers into his brother's muscles to massage his shoulders.
Letting out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, Stefan closed his eyes in relief and allowed himself to enjoy the unexpected affection. For a frightening moment, Stefan had actually thought Damon was going to feed from him.
At a sound at the door, both brothers glanced up. Damon growled and narrowed his eyes. Stefan stiffened, reaching up to grasp his brother's hands tightly in an odd attempt to reassure himself.
Niklaus smirked at them, dressed only in a pair of low-slung sweatpants. "You two are quite the couple," the hybrid teased, his eyes twinkling with malicious mirth.
Damon rolled his eyes, but did not remove his hands from Stefan's shoulders at the jibe. "I didn't know you had a radar for that kind of thing, Klaus," retorted Damon.
Niklaus raised an eyebrow but gave no other indication that he had registered the remark. "Indeed I do," was his only mild reply.
"Do forgive the interruption," Niklaus continued as he retrieved for himself a chilled blood bag from the stainless-steel, double-door refrigerator. Stefan's eyes widened when he saw that blood bags lined the shelves of the fridge like soldiers preparing to go into battle.
Damon had noticed as well. "Quite a bit of blood you have there, Klaus," he said. "I suppose that explains the extra meat you've put on if you're consuming that many calories.
Laughing shortly, Niklaus shook his head in amusement. "Yes," the hybrid chuckled, "because it is not as if I share this mansion with my three brothers and sister who also rather enjoy the nourishment of blood."
Damon and Stefan visibly relaxed when Niklaus turned away to leave as abruptly as he'd entered, but the passageway was blocked. The two non-Original vampires in the room stared at the strange scene before them.
Niklaus was glaring up at Finn, who was giving him an odd look. "What?" snapped Niklaus. "Are you barring my way for your own amusement?"
Finn did not succumb to the insult, surprising Damon. Begrudgingly to himself, he admitted that the other Mikaelsons were much better at tolerating Klaus than he was.
"I was not going to 'bother' you," Finn began, the hard look he was giving his brother making Niklaus shift uncomfortably, "but Elijah seemed to think that you would like to know a Caroline Forbes, as she calls herself, is standing on our doorstep demanding to see E.J."
Stefan theorized that if Finn had not been barring the way, Niklaus would have barged past him and sprinted all the way to seek out his precious Caroline. As it was, Niklaus only glared up at his brother, his eye beginning to twitch.
Finn raised an eyebrow. "I take it you know her?" After a moment, Niklaus nodded stiffly, still glaring.
"If you would like me to move, brother," sighed Finn, "you need only ask."
Niklaus was still glaring. "Move."
At another time, Finn would have kept his brother waiting until Niklaus had properly asked, but he could tell that his brother was not in a rational state of mind. The elder Original swiftly stepped into the kitchen, letting his brother out into the mansion.
Depositing his blood bag on the counter beside the doorway, Niklaus said nothing as he strode out the doorway, breaking into a fast jog once he had rounded the corner.
Damon and Stefan watched in confusion as Finn calmly swung back around and followed his brother out the kitchen.
Stefan blinked up at his brother, who stared down at him. The two were still sitting as they had been when Niklaus had entered, Damon standing above Stefan with his hands dug deep into Stefan's shoulders and Stefan grasping Damon's hands.
Damon pried his fingers from his brother's flesh and reached up to rub a hand down his face. "What just happened?" he mumbled.
Stefan shrugged and hopped down from his barstool. "Why don't we go see what Caroline wants?" he asked, sidestepping his brother's question.
When Stefan hurried around the island and out the kitchen without waiting for a reply, Damon begrudgingly followed.
Ahead of the Salvatores, Finn had finally caught up with Niklaus, resting a heavy hand on his shoulder and forcing him to a halt. Although Niklaus growled low in his throat, he did not try to throw his brother's hand off.
"What do you want?" growled Niklaus, turning around to glare up at his brother.
Finn's only reply was to jerk his head toward the front door. Having had his head down to see where he was going, Niklaus had not noticed the scene happening at their own front door. With his sharp sight, Niklaus could make out Caroline, E.J., and Rebekah standing at the door, appearing to be in the middle of an argument.
"Oh," Niklaus mumbled. Even though he would never thank his brother for keeping him from barging right into a cat fight, he could admit that Finn had been right to stop him.
"They are really going at it," a voice behind them said. Niklaus, who jumped, had been too busy listening in on the argument (in confusion) to register Elijah's presence, but Finn only turned and smiled wryly at their elder brother.
Elijah was standing behind them, a glass of expensive wine in his hand. At Finn's raised eyebrow and questioning look, the eldest Mikaelson rolled his eyes. "What, Finn?" demanded Elijah half-seriously and half-teasingly. "Am I not allowed to partake in the finer things of life?"
If Elijah had addressed him, Niklaus would have seared him with a scathing insult if only because he couldn't help himself. Therefore, Niklaus was a little irritated when Finn only half-smiled and turned back to watch the scene before them.
Stupid, self-controlled Finn. Among all his siblings, Niklaus had always felt the most threatened by his second-eldest brother. Not because the elder Mikaelson was vicious or threatening, but simply because Finn was meek: he kept his strength in check in ways Niklaus never could seem to do. And that had always infuriated the hybrid.
Without warning, Niklaus jerked away from his elder brother and sped over into the fray of bickering girls. He was smart enough to back away to where he was out of claw range, but he was daring/stupid enough to join in.
"Might I ask what is going on?" he purred, interrupting Rebekah in the middle of slicing Caroline to pieces with words. Unfortunately, the majority of Rebekah's insults included slandering the baby vampire's magnificent beauty, so Niklaus could not understand why Caroline looked so wounded. Did she not know how ravishing she was?
Surprisingly, Rebekah welcomed his interruption instead of bitching at him for it. Niklaus suspected that his sister thought he would side with her, but he could be wrong.
Rebekah snapped to face him while her arm pointed at Caroline, whose lips were now quivering, as if on its own accord. "This infant had the audacity to ask E.J. to accompany her to the boarding house to 'help Elena and Bonnie'! Apparently, she was stupid enough to speed off without the pathetic mortals, and now she doesn't know if they ever got out!"
E.J. was standing on the other side of Caroline, frowning at her mother and keeping a hand on Caroline's shoulder to calm her. "You didn't even let me answer her," E.J. butted in, clearly irritated.
Her eyes narrowing and her fangs lowering from her gums, Rebekah swung around and snarled at her daughter. "You are not going, E.J.!" growled Rebekah. Although Rebekah was doing her best to be intimidating, the young girl before her did not look the least bit intimidated, perhaps because her three eldest uncles were standing just behind Rebekah.
Niklaus did not take kindly to Rebekah showing his niece her fangs only to frighten her. "Enough, sister!" He grabbed her by the shoulder and wrenched her backwards. Rebekah's eyes widened in pain as she stumbled back into her brother, hissing when he hugged her from behind and crushed her to his chest.
Faster than either Original could register, Elijah was standing before them. At his glare, Niklaus backed off, passing his sister off without a fight. Rebekah kept her head bowed as she was passed like a young child and taken into her eldest brother's embrace. She much preferred it to Niklaus's manhandling, of course, but she would still rather her brothers not baby her so in front of E.J.
At the thought of her daughter, Rebekah deflated. Now she felt guilty for her attempt at intimidation. "I'm sorry, E.J.," mumbled Rebekah, hiding her face in her brother's chest.
E.J. smiled. "I've seen worse," she laughed. Jerking her head up, Rebekah frowned at her. Her mother's reaction only made E.J. laugh harder. "I've faced down Kol, remember?"
Rebekah looked thoughtful. "That is true."
Shaking his head in disbelief, Elijah pushed his sister away from him and shooed Niklaus away. When the hybrid opened his mouth as if to argue, Finn, who had since approached the group, clamped a hand down on his shoulder. The strength with which he squeezed made Niklaus wince and understand the veiled order beneath it:
He was to keep quiet if he could not control himself.
Caroline sighed loudly, still standing outside the threshold. "Does somebody want to explain to me why I suddenly can't get into the Boarding House or here?"
E.J. quirked an eyebrow up. "Why would you need an invitation to get into the Boarding House? I didn't."
That moment was when Stefan and Damon finally appeared. When Damon heard his home mentioned, he bristled and growled.
Stefan glanced over at his brother in concern. "Uh, something wrong, Damon?" he asked quietly.
Damon didn't reply as he snagged Stefan's wrist and swung him back around to drag him back to the kitchen. "Didn't you hear, Stefan?" growled Damon. When Stefan silently shook his head, Damon sighed in annoyance. "Elena and Bonnie need help, and Caroline couldn't get into the boarding house."
It did not take long for Stefan to put together what his brother already had. "Caroline doesn't need an invitation to get in," he mumbled.
Damon turned and glowered at him. "Unless since the last time we've been there, a living resident has moved in and made it his own."
Stefan's eyes widened in alarm as his brother dragged him back through the maze of hallways in the back of the house, through the kitchen, and out the back door.
"Let's go see who's made himself at home," Damon growled darkly.
The four Original vampires sensed when the Salvatores stormed from the mansion. Elijah sighed, rolling his eyes up as if looking to the heavens. "Damon must have overheard us," he said.
Finn nodded his agreement, finally releasing his death grip on Niklaus's shoulder. If he were not trying to appear tough, Niklaus would have rubbed and rolled the wounded shoulder to ease the ache.
E.J. turned her back on her mother and uncles as she turned to Caroline. "No offense, Caroline," she said mildly, "but, if I've learned anything over the years, it's to never invite somebody in."
Caroline's eyes widened. "But you have to let me in!" she sobbed. "Bonnie told me about the spell over the mansion!"
Elijah frowned at his niece's arrogance. "Please come in, Caroline," he called.
"Thank you!" said Caroline, beaming as she stepped over the threshold.
E.J. whipped around to glare at her uncle, but the glare she received in return was far fiercer than any she could manage. "I will decide who to not let in, love," Elijah said sternly. "Remember that the next time you feel it in your right to deny access."
"We can't leave her alone, Elijah," Finn spoke up suddenly, startling his siblings, save Elijah, niece, and Caroline. "We can't trust her to not try to go to the boarding house."
Elijah nodded solemnly. "She will have to be assigned a babysitter."
Finn smiled grimly. "And there is only one of us who can do the job justice."
E.J. was smart enough to instantly know whom they were referring to. "Oh no," she groaned. "Do you all hate me?"
Elijah sighed and pulled out his cellphone. "I'll text Kol. Niklaus, kindly show Miss Forbes our remaining guest rooms."
Niklaus immediately perked up. "I would love to," he purred, strolling over to the baby vampire and holding out his arm. "Shall we?" he asked teasingly.
Caroline sighed and accepted his arm, letting him lead her away.
Author's Note: I hope you all liked that hint of Klaroline at the end there. I've watched season 4 of TVD and season 1 of TO (The Originals) now, and I'm loving the idea of the two of them together. Anyhoo, let me know what you thought in a review! Tell me something you liked and/or something you would like to see (sibling bonding, pairing moment, situation, anything), and I can see if it'll work. Also, if you have an idea of somebody you'd like me to bring back, let me know. I'm just not sure. I've started Chapter 20, but I need some fuel to spur me on to finish it. Love you all!
Thanks for reading!