A/N: Thank you all for continuing reading my story. I'm happy that you are still here even with my erratic posts. I'm sorry about the time, but you didn't come here for my apologies (but if you did: sorry!). It's longer and I hope you enjoy it! Review please!

The next year flew by before Claire could even blink.

Nathan and Natalie were amazing. The two grew and learned and it amazed Claire how much she, and everyone else, loved them and how much of an individual each of them already were at one. Nathan loved watching TV, watching Shane play video games, and having Eve read to him. Natalie loved being sung to by Michael, sleeping on the couch, and listening while Claire tried to explain complex science things to Shane. Nathan loved sleeping on top of Claire's stomach while Natalie loved curling up in the middle of Jason's back to sleep. They both loved Michael's playing: it always soothed them and put them to sleep even when they were only weeks and months old.

Life was great and calm, which surprised Claire. She still went to school and excelled, got to work with Myrnin again, and got to spend lots of time with her family. If she ever lacked excitement at home or school, Myrnin made up for it fully. There was never a dull moment with him and, as much as she enjoyed her time, it was dangerous also.

Yet, other than Myrnin's unpredictable behavior, life was pretty calm. Nothing had come of Oliver's threat so she pretty much forgot about it. She'd worried herself almost sick for the first few months after the twins were born but Michael had made her see reason and calm down and told her to focus on her family, so she did.

Life was pretty good and uneventful and Claire preferred it that way.

Today, Claire was woken up by a pair of hands on her face. She opened her eyes and saw a fifteen month old Nathan smiling and drooling over her. She smiled.

"Hey Nate. How did you get out of your crib? Was it Auntie Eve?" He giggled and pressed his mouth to her nose in what Claire knew to be a kiss.

"Guilty as charged." Claire sat up and saw Eve holding a babbling Natalie.

Nathan crawled into Claire's lap and tugged on her hair. "Don't pull Mommy's hair." She told him.

"Sorry if he woke you up. I was going to change them and take them downstairs for breakfast so you could rest."

"It's okay. With these two around, I'll always be up early."

After getting dressed, they all went downstairs where Shane had just came back with breakfast. He turned and smiled.

"Look at all the lovely ladies and this handsome young man." He lifted Nathan out of Claire's arms and spun him around. Nathan giggled like crazy.

"Shane, if you do that he won't want to eat." Claire said as she fished out the twins' food. Eve and Shane sat each in their respective high chairs at the ends of the table as Claire served the food. Nathan loved Cheerios while Natalie loved fruit so Claire gave a mixture to both with milk in their sippy cups. The adults in the room had eggs, bacon, and sausages. Jason walked in just as they were sitting down and sat next to Nathan so he could feed him and Claire feed Natalie.

Jason didn't technically live at the Glass House. Sure he crashed on the couch more often than naught and had a trunk full of his stuff and clothes stored in a corner of the living room and he was there most of the time to spend time with his kids, but he still didn't live there…technically.

"Up, up, up! And here comes the plane!" Claire murmured as she tried to get Natalie to open her mouth. Natalie was always difficult when it came to breakfast. "Here comes the plane!" Natalie was just opening her mouth when she was suddenly hoisted out of her seat, scaring the hell out of Claire. She spun around to see Michael there laughing and tickling her little girl.

"Michael!" She shouted still sitting. "You scared me."

"Sorry." He wasn't very sincere about it.

"And don't tickle her: she's almost finished eating and she'll-" Before she could even that sentence, Natalie vomited directly on her. "throw up." Claire sighed and glared at Michael.

"Sorry Claire." He gave her his most beautiful smile.

She couldn't stay mad at that smile. "It's okay. They've been spitting up, vomiting, peeing, and pooping on me for a year: I'm used to it now." She stood. "You guys mind finishing up feeding them? I have to get ready for school." They nodded and she went. Showered and dressed in clothes free of baby vomit, Claire reappeared in the living room. Both babies looked up from their seats on the floor in front of Micheal and got to the feet to hug her legs.

"Bye Nat, bye Nate." She said as she kissed both on their foreheads. "See you later, Michael." She kissed his cheek. Since he didn't have anything to do during the day, he was happy to watch them while she was at school and work. Eve, Shane, and Jason all worked during the day and couldn't do it.

"Later Claire."

School went by quickly and Claire found herself at Myrnin's lab. She stepped down on the bottom step and looked around but didn't see him.

"Myrnin?" She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a tap on her shoulder. "What is it with all the vamps scaring me today?" She said as she turned to stare at him.

Myrnin looked like he'd gotten dressed in the dark like usual. He wore a pair of faded jeans which actually looked really nice, some ruffled shirt that looked like it was centuries old, and the bunny slippers she'd given him months ago. His curly brown hair was everywhere and he looked to be in a good mood.

"You're early for once, young Claire, and you have a… unusual smell. It does not smell like the fragrances you humans use for your young. What is it?"

Claire sighed. She had showered for just this reason: Myrnin's questions. She usually was able to get the smells out but she hadn't scrubbed well enough this morning.

"Baby vomit. Natalie decided to shoot for me instead of Michael who was holding her."

Myrnin smiled and Claire was again reminded that he was very handsome. "I like this Natalie character. When will I get to meet the babies your bore?"

"When you're perfectly sane or not a being that survives on blood." Claire said as she slipped on her lab coat.

"So never." Myrnin said so deadpanned that Claire had to laugh.

"No, not never. I just want them to be a little older: maybe when they're able to form complete sentences."

Myrnin smiled wider and clapped his hands. "Spectacular! Let's get to work."

During the past year there had been major improvements for the vampires. In the course of fifteen months, Claire had: found out about the vampire disease, met Bishop-Amelie's dad, discovered that the cure lied in Bishop's blood, developed a cure, saved Amelie's and Sam's lives, aided Myrnin in killing Bishop and his underlings, and distributed the cure to all vampires. She wasn't exactly proud of her actions, but doing all this had accomplished getting her house protections that-although it was scary-was worth it. Nobody could attack her kids…ever. Unless the two grew up being mass murderers or any other serious threat, vamps could not sink their teeth in without permission from them. Amelie had offered her out of town but it was only her, not her kids or friends, and she just couldn't do it.

Work now consisted of them finding a way to power the town without using a brain in a jar. So far, she had nothing. What could be powerful enough to power portals, erase minds, and shield a town? Theory after theory, Claire tried but nothing seemed to work. It agitated her because she had never felt like such an idiot before and she swore she'd break it by the time she graduated in a year or so.

Claire must have been very focused because, next thing she knew, Myrnin was tapping her on the shoulder.

"You are finished little Claire."

Startled, she jumped. "Wha-"

"It is well past seven: go home to your family and friends."

Seven? Wow. She was usually finished around five thirty. She must have really been focused.

"Oh thanks." Packing up, she felt his eyes on her. "Do I have something on my face?"

Bemused, he shook his head. "No, child. Why do you ask?"

"You're staring."

"Oh, I was merely…wondering something."

Nodding, she finished up and headed toward the portal only to pause at his voice again.

"Claire."

"Yes?"

He hesitated for a second. "Be very careful in the days to come. There is a great struggle for power and it is sure to bring chaos and destruction. Whatever it causes to happen will not leave all unharmed and you are useful in many ways so you mustn't let yourself be drawn into things. I say this for you and your young ones: do not get involved."

She felt herself nod before he hurried her through the portal and closed the door instantly. Standing the Glass House living room, she glanced behind her and saw nothing but the wall.

"Claire?" She turned to see Michael standing in the door from the kitchen with Natalie and Nathan in his arms. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It's just Myrnin being Myrnin." Claire moved closer and smiled at the sight of her babies sleeping on his shoulders. "How were they?"

"As good as every other day. They were out as soon as it hit six thirty."

Her eyebrows came together in confusion. "They usually nap at six though, right?"

"Yeah, but I think they were trying to wait up for you."

Claire frowned. "Aw, my poor babies. I got caught up with my work and lost time." She stretched up to give both a kiss on the cheek. "Mommy's sorry." She whispered to them.

"They understand that Mommy is busy."

"I hope so." He set them gently in the crib they kept in the living room and sat on the couch.

"How was your day?"

"Tiring. All my professors want me to do all sorts of class and homework which, let's be honest, is just busy work, I can't figure out the problem Myrnin has me doing, and to top it off he warns me to be careful these next few days. He says something's about to go down." She huffed and threw herself on the couch next to him. "Where's Shane and Eve?"

"Both are still at work but Eve's picking up Jason afterward from his job." Claire nodded. Jason told her that Eve was picking him up from his job as a trash collector, one of the only things you can do when people are afraid of you murdering them. "And Shane is getting dinner after work. You humans are getting lazy! No one cooks anymore." He chuckled and she punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Shut up. I cooked two nights ago and Eve the night before me, you mean vamp!" He smiled. "So when will they be here?"

"They all get off around seven thirty so I'm guessing about 45 minutes."

"Good: I need to rest." Plopping her head down on his shoulder, she closed her eyes.

"You're just gonna use my shoulder like that?"

"Uh-huh."

"Without asking me?"

"Mhm."

"Lazy human." He laughed but Claire was too gone to retort.

She was awakened almost an hour later by the sound of the front door opening.

Slowly, Claire sat up and wiped her eyes only to see that Michael had dozed off too. Shaking her head, she poked him in the shoulder until he woke up and she gave him a look.

"What? It's contagious." She fought a laugh as Eve's voice rung down the hallway.

"Why don't any of you losers know how to check the freaking mail?" She questioned as she and Jason appeared in the living room.

"Maybe because we know you'll get it?" Michael laughed. Eve stuck her tongue out as Jason made his way over to where the babies were sleeping.

He smiled. "How long have they been sleep?"

"About an hour and a half." He nodded and picked up Nathan who stirred as soon as he was picked up.

"Dada!" He murmured as he hugged Jason's neck.

"Yea buddy: it's me."

Claire walked over to pick up a waking Natalie as Eve looked through the mail. "Junk, junk, some college stuff for Claire, junk, paycheck for Jason, and something really fancy official looking for Mr. Glass." She waved it around before handing it to Michael. He opened it, scanned it, and put it aside quickly.

"What was it about?" asked the ever curious Eve.

"Nothing: don't worry about it."

"Come on Michael! Tell us!"

Claire was now curious too. "It can't be that bad."

Sighing, Michael held out the paper for all to see. It read:

"Mr. Glass,

You are cordially invited to Morganville's new annual Merrymaking. Attendance is mandatory unless told otherwise, no humans except for plus ones, and suit and tie dress code.

We hope to see you in three days."

There was silence for a moment where everyone turned to look at Michael.

"Merrymaking? What is merrymaking?" Eve asked.

"Merrymaking is another word used for a celebration or party." Claire answered as Natalie nuzzled her neck.

"A party? Why are y'all having a party?'

Michael shrugged. "I don't know. I've been a vampire for more than two years now and I've never heard of it or why we're having it."

"Do you think it's important?"

"Yea. It's says attendance is mandatory. We wouldn't have to go if it wasn't important." Claire and Eve shared a worried glance.

"The last time we had a random vampire party we were welcoming Amelie's evil daddy and he took over the town. Who is it this time? Amelie's psychopath of a mommy?" Eve asked.

Claire bit her lip. "Hopefully not, but this isn't good. This must be what Myrnin was warning me about." She glanced at Michael.

Jason, who had moved across the room to sit on the couch, looked slightly confused. "What did Myrnin say?"

"He told me to be careful because there's a power struggle going on and he didn't want me to get involved." She bounced Natalie on her hip.

"But that doesn't mean anything's happening." Jason said before Eve spoke up. "Not to mention that Myrnin is certifiably crazy: he could just be talking."

Claire was about to answer when Shane appeared with a bag under his arm. "Myrnin is as crazy as fuck, so I agree with this conversation." He ducked around Eve who went to hit him for cursing in front of the toddlers. "Other than that, what are we talking about?"

"Myrnin warned Claire about some big power struggle to come and that Claire should not get involved even though it may be nothing."

Shane nodded at Eve. "Of course he's gonna warn Claire and only Claire."

Claire frowned as he approached her. "And why would he do that?"

"Because, Clary," Shane smiled. "He's in love with you." He kissed her forehead as he snatched Natalie out of her arms. "Hey cutie." He cooed as Natalie giggled and patted his face and he held her close.

Claire crossed her arms over her chest. "Myrnin is not in love with me. I'm just-"

"-one of his closest friends. Yeah sure. You've been telling us that for almost two years now but we all know the truth."

"You assume! But I'm not gonna argue over this."

"Okay, Ms. Denial." She shot him a look. "It's either that or you're blind. Am I wrong guys?" No one said a word and Claire scowled.

"You guys are seeing things." She murmured and stole the bag from under Shane's arm and marched into the kitchen. She assumed it was dinner and, like she thought, opened the bag to find brisket, potato salad, and beans. She went about laying it all out on the counter and pulling out plates and glasses and bread. After digging out the six packs of cokes and juice from the fridge, she turned and was nearly startled to death to find Michael standing behind her. She lost hold of what she was holding and dreaded the mess to come already but Michael's vampirism saved her the trouble as he caught them effortlessly. She thanked him quietly as she took them back.

"You know they were just teasing you."

She shrugged. "Sure." She filled the glasses with ice and the twins' sippy cups with juice before Michael grabbed her shoulder and made her look at him. "Don't be upset."

"I know I shouldn't be but it's hard. The first few times it was funny, maybe even the tenth or fifteenth time, but c'mon now. Myrnin is my friend and nothing more. They may think he's in love with me and it may or may not be true but it'd be great if Shane stopped bringing it all." She vented then under her breath said, "Fucking Shane."

Michael nodded. "I'll talk to him." She nodded before smiling and opening her mouth to say something when their other housemates came in. Apparently, Eve and Jason had filled Shane in because Shane looked at Michael and asked, "So who are you gonna take with you to the Fang Party?"

Michael shrugged and made himself a plate and the others followed his lead. Claire and Jason made the twins' plates and they all sat.

"Mama! Food!" Nathan pointed before banging on his tray. She smiled.

"Yea, food. I'll feed you as long as you don't spit up on me like your sister." She whispered as if it was a secret and Nathan giggled as if he understood.

"Nat! Nat!" He shouted, looking across the table at his sister who actually looked away from her dad and smiled. "Nae! Nae!" she shouted back. Claire smiled at them both before giving him his plate.

"So Mikey?" Shane prompted around a mouth full of food.

"I don't know. Not any of you for sure."

Eve looked disappointed. "I know we're not together anymore but I was still hoping to be your plus one so I could see what's going down."

Claire was always startled when either Eve or Michael mentioned their break up. She always forgot that they had broken up because not much changed in the house after it happened.

It was true that Michael and Eve had broken up. It happened about five or six months after the twins were born and everything with Bishop had finally settled: Bishop and his little posse were dead and gone and Claire and Myrnin had finished distributing the cure. Eve had sat Michael down and told him about how almost dying for certain this time had got her thinking. Eve wanted a real relationship. She wanted to eventually get married which wouldn't happen with him unless she was turned herself and she didn't want that. Marriage between vamps and humans wasn't allowed. She also wanted kids. She had never thought she'd be the kind to be a mother after the experience with her parents so it was okay to be in a relationship where kids were a definite no but after spending so much time with her niece and nephew she secretly started to want that: to want a bond similar to Claire and Nathan and Natalie. She wanted to, someday but not any day soon, to be a mother. She wanted a family. She expressed how she tried to bury those wants because she loved Michael with most of her heart and she didn't want it to end but after coming to the realization it wouldn't go away.

Michael took it well. He was upset for a little while but they were back on speaking terms within a week and back to joking around and being normal friends within two. Claire felt a little guilty because her kids were one of the things that made Eve think and what inspired the break up. She tried to apologize to Michael and he assured her that it had nothing to do with them and had been a long ways coming. He told her that he and Eve had been out of sync for a while but he had tried and wanted to make it work but it didn't and that was perfectly okay. They were better off as friends.

Michael smiled a little. "If this was just a regular party, you know I'd take you with me, couple or not, but it's not like that. I'm not going to endanger you, any of you, just in case it's anything like the last one." Nods went around the table.

"Just tell us what happens and if we need to rent out a space to hide under a rock." Shane joked.

The rest of dinner went on nicely and nobody got threw up on.

Later that night, Claire had already put Nathan down and was working on Natalie when she felt a cold presence in the room. Still rocking Natalie in her arms, Claire turned slowly and was met with the sight of Amelie sitting regally on the edge of her bed. She'd been scared twice today by vamps and she didn't want to go for three.

"Hi Amelie."

"Claire." She nodded before her eyes drifted to Natalie whose sleepy eyes were now focused on Amelie. "Young Natalie."

There was a long silence in which Claire wondered why Amelie was visiting her so late at night. As if hearing the question in Claire's head, Amelie spoke. "I am sorry to come at such a time when you are getting ready for bed but I do not have the time to have you summoned for us to speak." She paused for a brief second. "So I assume you have heard of our…" She seemed at a loss for words for a moment.

"Party?" Claire supplied and the vampire queen gave a little smile.

"Yes, party. I am positive that Michael had informed your household of it."

"Yes ma'am."

"This is your room: sit down. I am just here to talk."

Hesitating for a second, Claire sat, out of striking distance but close enough to talk, with Natalie in her lap. Amelie stared at the baby again and held out her hand. Claire was shocked and so was Natalie, apparently, because she looked between her mother and the hand then back at her mother again. Claire thought for a second before nodding and Natalie placed her tiny hand in Amelie's. The Founder shook the tiny hand and the toddler giggled before struggling out of her mother's lap and into the unsuspecting vampire's. Amelie froze for all of a second and Claire prepared to grab Natalie but the queen put a hand on the toddler's back to hold her in place.

"Anyways, as you should also know: there is an option to bring a human guest." She nodded. "As the mother of Michael's only children," She said this with a hint of humor because even though the town still thought that Michael fathered Nate and Nat-since none of them ever had the sense to check their names-Amelie knew better. "Michael may feel obligated to bring you along or you may grow curious and ask him to take you. I am putting an end to that thought this instance: you are forbidden from coming." Claire was speechless for a moment. It had been a long while since Amelie had given her a direct order-maybe since Bishop appeared-and it was a little off-putting.

In the end, Claire nodded. "We all already decided it may be a little dangerous for any of us to go with him based on the last little…shindig y'all had."

"Good. Good. The work you are doing with Myrnin is important, therefore you are important and must be safeguarded. You are not allowed to attend under any circumstances. Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am."

Amelie stood with Natalie in her arms and eyed the gold broach that stayed in the baby's hair every waking hour. "I am impressed how you incorporated the founder's symbol into your children's clothes and accessories."

Claire nodded. "I don't want anyone to get 'confused' and attack them." Nathan wore it on his shirt as Natalie wore it her hair usually. "Myrnin helped me with them."

Amelie gave her a nod and handed Natalie back. "I shall take your word for this. May you and your children sleep well." Claire nodded and, when she blinked, Amelie was gone.

Thanks again for reading this. I know this is kind of a filler yet not, but there's still more to come and I hope you continue reading! The next chapter should be up between two to four weeks (maybe one if I feel inspired during Spring Break), I promise. Things are about to heat up and stuffs about to hit the fan. I hope it's not too predictable what's about to happen but I'd love to hear your predictions in your reviews: see where you think this is heading. If you have any way I can make reading this better for you, I'd like to hear it also! Your comments are what inspire me to write! Thanks!

R&R
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