AN: Hey All! Few notes for today. Firstly, I apologize for the late post, for some reason Fanfiction didn't want to upload my chapter, so this is attempt number 8? 9? Hopefully this one works! Second! A warning! I mention necrophilia and beastiality in this chapter near the end (only a few passing comments but just in case) Otherwise Enjoy and see you Thursday. Cheers!

Despite there being lots to discuss; what to do about Dolion, the contract, Xander and his abilities and hastened growth, the car ride back was silent aside from the jazz playing from the radio.

A small smirk pulled to Ellen's face remembering Xander by the fire, ears and tail present. His demon form looking more human than she thought it would.

He shared Alastor's pale complexion and of course deerish features, but the rest looked normal. No stretching smile, no sharp teeth and, well she probably wouldn't know about the radio dial pupils when angry. She also hadn't thought about feet or …hooves maybe? She shook the thought. It didn't matter, she was just glad that they had him back, and he seemed a bit more relaxed at the thought of letting his more natural form loose.

"So do I still have to hide my-uh demon look?"

"Yes." Alastor answered Xander plainly.

"With a few exceptions," she corrected, giving Alastor a look, before continuing. "If you are with just Alastor and I you are free to be in whatever form you're comfortable in. Same with Julie. Unfortunately no one else can know."

"Julie?"

"My best friend."

"So she's my aunt?"

Alastor turned to correct Xander. "That's not how that-"

"Yes!," Ellen interjected.

Xander nodded in understanding, falling back into his seat, gaze back out the window.

Alastor gave her a confused look and she shrugged, turning onto the street to the house Julie rented the basement in.

"She's basically family."

"Not by blood."

She let out an amused hum. "Then by that logic, neither are you. There is no proof we were wed. So friend-"

She didn't even get to finish her sentence before he slipped into shadows. She laughed as she parked, turning the car off.

"Wait, you guys had me out of wedlock?"

"No no. We were married in hell, but that ended seeing as I died. 'Til death do us part right?"

Xander turned to squint into the darkness looking for Alastor. "Dad doesn't seem to like that."

The smile slipped from Ellen's face. "Yeah." She didn't know how to explain this whole ordeal. She had a hard enough time trying to wrap her own head around it.

"You still love each other right?"

"Without a doubt."

"So you guys going to get married again?"

Ellen opened her mouth only to find no words escaping. Why was everyone trying to get them wed again? Sure as a simple thought it was easy, but if anyone really put some thought into it, it was so much more complex. Was she the only one that seemed to see that?

She closed her mouth, opening the door and grabbing her bag lamely muttering that they had arrived.

Ellen had already let Julie know they were on their way so she wasn't surprised by their sudden appearance. She did ask where Alastor was, but Ellen gave her a shy look, she dropped it, waving the two in.

"So you're my nephew huh?" She gave him a quick look up and down. "Damn you look like Alastor."

"Right?"

"The eyes though-"

"Yeah those are mine."

Julie gave him an approving nod. "So lets see it then." She gestured to him.

He blinked at her a bit confused before turning to Ellen then back to Julie.

"You're demon form," she explained. "I know you got one."

His eyes widened darting back to his mother. She gave him a nod. "You don't have to if don't-"

"Uh yes he does. Can't be as bad as Alastors'."

An amused smirk slipped onto Ellen's face as she noticed the shadow that had creeped in approaching Julie from behind.

"And here I thought we were past such remarks."

Julie jumped, turning to find Alastor in his demon form looming over her, although it wasn't to be threatening. The 8 foot feelings were cutting it close to his normal height causing him to have to hunch over a bit to avoid the light fixtures.

"Jesus! One more time Alastor and I swear to God I'm tieing a fucking bell to your neck."

He chuckled, ignoring the idle threat. "It's nice to see you too, my dear."

Julie stuck her tongue out at him before turning back to Xander. "Don't you start that shit."

The four made their way into the makeshift living room, where Alastor decided to sit across from Ellen. It made it clear he wasn't too happy about the comment about them not being family. A bit of guilt rose in her gut. She had only meant it in jest, but apparently it really did bug him. It was something they would discuss later, preferably when it was just the two of them.

She also noticed that Xander stayed in his human form. Her shoulder fell at the situation. She couldn't help but feel like she made a mess of things and she disguised her defeated sigh as a normal breath.

Most of the conversation was just her and Julie, catching her up on what had transpired only to get more jabs from Julie about going out and doing things without her. Leaving her behind again. By the time she had everything aired she was starting to feel like her presence wasn't welcome anymore.

The room fell into silence and with her nerves on edge, she didn't want it to linger so she pulled her bag into her lap pulling out the contract she had taken. Might as well address this right? Before she could even pull it open to read the first few sentences it was snapped from her hands, finding it was now in the possession of Alastor.

"I don't believe it wise you read it through. Besides, it does not concern you, a deal between me and Mr. Tucker."

Xander sat up, eyes wide. "What?! You made a deal with him?"

Ellen turned to explain, but it seemed Xander already knew what sort of deal it was.

"You just… traded me away?"

Ellen's chest seized. Oh, she had just made everything worse. To no surprise Alastor looked calm and collected. He put his coffee aside, turning to address Xander.

"It was made almost a hundred-"

Xander pushed to his feet, a hard glare flitting between his two parents. "It doesn't matter!"

Alastor let out a displeased hum. "Well if that doesn't matter I suppose the fact Ellen didn't want to keep you doesn't matter either."

Ellen's face turned white eyes wide. He didn't really just…

Julie was unsuccessful in covering her laugh as a cough.

"WHAT?!"

Xander stormed off toward the kitchen.

Julie stood still trying to get her laughter under control. "You guys need to sort out this parenting thing. I'm taking the kid out, you two need to talk. Maybe with a therapist." She snorted as she followed after Xander.

"Julie!"

Ellen quickly rummaged through her bag. "Here." She tossed her keys. "I'll pay for gas, and…thank you."

Julie just gave her a wave above her head. "Alright Xander we're going out and I think I know the perfect place."

Ellen couldn't hear the response. As soon as the door was closed she turned on the demon.

"What the fuck was that? You don't throw me under the bus like that, Alastor!"

He leaned back, reclaiming his cup of coffee. "It was simply the truth. He would cease to exist had I not intervened."

"You don't tell kids that! That's-that's like telling them they were a mistake!"

There was only a moment's pause for a sip of coffee before he responded, "Well I suppose one could argue he was…"

"ALASTOR!"

"Are you suggesting we lie to him?"

Hands were being dragged down her face trying to figure out how the heck she was going to fix this. After a few breaths, praying for strength, she moved to sit beside him taking the hand that wasn't occupied with the mug.

"Okay look, honesty is good. But sometimes you need to be aware that some truths need to be broken gently, in a specific time and place. This has likely left Xander feeling like he wasn't wanted."

"If he wasn't wanted, why would you or I have gone to all this effort to bring him home?"

Ellen swallowed her smart-ass retort going for instead, "he couldn't've known that because he doesn't know our full plan. As far as he knows, we are his parents that kidnapped him from the guy that actually wanted him."

Alastor waved her off. "If he understands the type of deals Dolion makes, he'll understand what this is all about." His face soured a bit. "It just may take him a bit longer than we hope."

Ellen scoffed, pulling her hands into her lap. "Can you blame him? Poor kid didn't even know he was part demon until I told him. His whole world is upside down right now. And I imagine it'll be just as bad when you two finally return to hell. He has no idea what it's like there."

"I see."

The two sat in silence for a long time, lost in thought. Ellen turned her gaze to her hands in her lap, fidgeting in uncomfortable silence.

"I'm sorry," she said finally. "I shouldn't have joked about not being family. I know how much you want to be together again and I know it seems like I don't, but I do too. I'm just…stuck on all the-" She didn't finish, unsure what it was she was truly stuck on. The reality of it? She shook her head carefully, turning up to see his face for the first time since she had taken a seat beside him.

His gaze was forward, seemingly still lost in thought. So with a small defeated sigh she stood to move back to the seat she was in before. A hand grabbed hers pulling her back to the seat beside him. He took his arm, throwing it over the back of the couch lightly pulling her closer to him.

"I'll get you under contract again my dear, I'm not concerned. I got you once, I will get you again."

Ellen leaned closer resting her head on his side. "You won't have to try so hard this time."

"And where's the fun in that?"

Ellen chuckled feeling all of her unease seep out of her body. "I can make it even harder if you really want a challenge."

He turned to grin down at her, eyes unable to hide the playful glint in them. "I believe you are already a challenge."

"So does that mean you're going to let me read that contract?"

"It's best you don't."

Ellen sat up. "What? Why? You can't talk about it, so wouldn't it be advantageous if I did? Plus I could see if there is something to break it."

He shook his head. "Not possible. One of the only contracts written better than mine. Better than Lilith's even."

"Well shit." She resituated herself against Alastor. "So it's not good that I already read about half of it?"

She felt more than saw him stiffen. "What?"

"You didn't think I had it all this time and not read a part of it. I only got a small glimpse when I was dead and I read enough to know you traded your first born to be the voice of-"

"-WWL. Yes. Something I used to my advantage well."

"What is that?"

His hand that was wrapped around her found its way around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "At the time, my time I guess, the biggest radio station in New Orleans. They never would have hired a man like me, but Dolion managed it. I was very aware that he only promised to get me there and nothing about keeping it. Broadcasting the best music at the time along with some enchanting details of my kills kept me employed longer than most would have liked."

"You have the voice for it."

His grin widened as he turned slightly to look at her. "You flatter me."

She smiled, closing her eyes, enjoying the moment of them together. It seemed like forever since they had some time just the two of them. She missed it.

"So you can't talk about the contract and if I remember right, you also can't touch Dolion."

A screech of static filled the room. Ellen ignored it pushing forward, still relaxing against the body that had stiffened slightly under her.

"I would like to give you hell for not telling me that, it's kinda important information, but you couldn't, so I understand. Just means we gotta find another way. Maybe with some help you could tell me how to do it."

Ellen's eyes blinked open when the sound of static continued filling the room, getting slightly louder. Peeking up at his face she could see his smile had also tensed.

"How much of that section did you read?"

Ellen finally sat up hearing the slight edge in his voice that he was trying to hide.

"Not much, just that it outlines basically every way one could possibly kill a person and you not being able to do it. Anything with the intent of harm."

"Anything else?"

She gave him a confused look. "Well no, but if you hand it over I can look back-"

"No. no that is far more than you should know."

"What? Is there something in there about me?"

"No, but it won't do if you were to read it through. Best to keep you ignorant if we have any hope in dealing with Dolion."

"Ignorant? That doesn't make sense. The more I know the better."

He relaxed back into the couch arm pulling her in close again and she let him.

"In time perhaps, but for now you needn't worry about it."

"I don't like secrets," She mumbled cozying back into him, a distinct pout on her face. She knew if he was keeping it secret, there was a good reason, she just didn't like being left out.

"Does Julie know?"

He shook his head. "Something I discussed with his majesty."

"You'll tell Lucifer but you won't tell me?" She whined.

"I had no intentions of it."

"Humph." Ellen crossed her arms. "Fine, but when you can tell me I expect you to be honest."

Alastor chuckled. "Of course. Now if you are quite done with your pouting I would very much like to enjoy your company."

…

She hadn't realized she fell asleep until she was jolted awake to the sound of a door slamming shut. She pushed herself to a sit trying to blink the blurry grogginess from her eyes when an arm pulled her back into the warmth she had just pulled herself away from.

"It's just Julie and Xander back."

Ellen smiled recognizing the slight raspiness of Alastor's groggy voice. It seemed she wasn't the only one that had fallen asleep. She nestled herself back under his arm enjoying the remnants of the nap while her ears were tuned to the sounds coming from the door. Shoes being removed, hushed whispers and footsteps moving toward them.

One set of footsteps stopped and Ellen was grateful her face was turned into Alastor's chest hiding the smile that pulled at the corners of her lips hearing the soft curse breathed from Julie as she took in the two cuddled on the couch.

"You're fine, they're both awake."

The second set of footsteps (these ones much lighter and no doubt Xander's) moved to plop on the seat across from them.

"What? No they're obviously-"

"You woke up mom slamming the door and if I had to guess, dad heard us pulling in the driveway."

"You got super ears too? Must be nice," Julie mumbled.

Alastor sat up with an elegance Ellen was only mildly envious of. No one would know he had taken a nap, still looking as put together as always while she was certain her hair was probably raised in an awkward manner from how she was resting against Alastor.

"On some occasions yes, on others it is a nuisance. A double edged sword really."

Julie took a second to think about it before agreeing. "Yeah I guess you're right."

Alastor's smile widened. "I usually am."

Xander sat across from them refusing to make eye contact, still looking annoyed. Ellen's gaze flitted between the three before leaned forward, elbows on her thighs, hands unsure if they should be steepled, intertwined or clasped, constantly moving between the three in her nerves. She was good with kids, or at least she thought she was, so why was it so hard to talk to her own kid?

"Xander, I know how this must look…"

Julie's eyes widened realizing the conversation to come and deciding she wanted nothing to do with it. "AND I think it's time for coffee! Alastor, want to give me a hand in the kitchen?"

It looked like he was going to protest, but Julie gave him a look and to Ellen's surprise he stood politely excusing himself, the two retreating from the room.

Ellen hid her grimace not exactly too happy about being left to do this on her own, but she figured between her and Alastor, it was probably best that she have this discussion. Emotions were definitely not his strong suit.

There was a bit of silence while she tried finding the right way to approach this. She agreed she didn't want to lie to Xander about it, the poor kid probably had enough of that with Dolion and if they were going to move forward as a happy family, they needed to start on good foundations.

"I'm not going to lie to you Xander. Nor will Alastor, although sometimes he's not as…tactful."

"So you didn't want me."

Ellen tried to hide her cringe though she didn't think she was successful. When said out loud it didn't sound great but while there was a time that was true, it wasn't now.

"There was a time, probably the first four months of carrying you that, yes I did not want a child. Alastor he-" forced me to carry you to term where I promptly died before even getting to see you. "- made me realize that you would be a great thing. And- "She lowered her voice, eyes dating over to where the kitchen was with a small smirk. "-though I refuse to tell him, he was right."

"Why? He's the one that sold me out to Dolion."

"Yes, back when he was alive."

Xander leaned back, a look of confusion crossing his face. "He's not alive? How could you have…uhh…" His look turned to discomfort. "Nevermind, I don't want to know."

"He met Dolion a hundred years ago, made that deal for his first born because he was certain he would never have one. And while he was alive, he didn't. After dying, having a kid was impossible. So the deal was all but forgotten, never to fulfil his end of it."

"Okay but it obviously wasn't impossible if I was born, right?"

"Oh it is impossible, not something that can be done aside from one little loophole that is now closed."

"Loophole?"

Ellen finally leaned back, finding Xander no longer seemed to be upset. At least she was getting him to realize that there was a lot more here than he originally thought.

"I was mortal in hell, not something that had happened before and well, turns out with the use of angelic rope and a night-"

"Okay stop!" Xander had both hands out like he could physically stop the conversation from continuing. "I get the picture." He shuddered. "Gross."

Ellen laughed. "Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that Alastor and I do love you Xander. From the moment you were taken we both have been working to get you back. I'm sorry it took so long."

There was a long silence, but the tension and awkwardness had evaporated, now being comfortable. There were a few sounds from the kitchen but Ellen and Xander just shared the quiet in peace. After a few minutes Xander broke it.

"So you'll be honest with me no matter what I ask?"

Ellen nodded. "I have no reason to lie."

"So are you a necrophiliac cause if dad is technically dead…"

Ellen's eyes widened in horror. In the kitchen she could hear someone choking, likely Alastor having heard the question.

Julie peaked her head in curiosity. One look at Ellen's face and she turned to Xander. "What did you do? You broke your parents."

He shrugged. "I just asked if mom was a necrophiliac."

Julie's eyes widened as the question sunk in before she bent over laughing. "Holy shit! I can't believe I never thought about that!" Her laughter filled the basement leaving the two other adults in stunned silence.

Ellen felt her face get warm. There was no way. Alastor wasn't a corpse, he was just…dead? Oh fuck. Was there an argument that she had participated in beastiality too since Alastor was part deer? This opened up a very uncomfortable can of worms.

Alastor cleared his throat, now standing in the doorway. "No. And I do believe that is quite enough of that."

Ellen turned her horrified look to Alastor and his grin tightened. He sighed giving Julie a glare as he passed her, she now wiping away tears. He took a seat beside Ellen, careful not to spill his mug of coffee.

"Alastor what if…"

"Ah, ah, ah. None of that my dear," he scolded. "Your mind is taking you to places it needn't be."

Her eyes were still wide as he pulled her closer to him, arm wrapped around her, long claws tracing gentle circles on her lower back. The action was out of character enough for her train of thoughts to shift. He wasn't normally this affectionate, not that she was complaining.

"While I may joke about my lack of heart, I can hardly deny its existence." As if to prove a point he pulled Ellen's face closer, resting it against his chest where she could indeed feel and hear his heart beating. Its steady rhythm slowly eased the rest of her busy thoughts.

"So you're like…undead? A zombie?"

"I bleed like any other living creature..."

Ellen closed her eyes, letting Alastor sort that out. She had been up all night and now cuddled back up in the warmth of Alastor listening to his heartbeat she was finding her eyelids getting heavy. The nap was good, but clearly wasn't enough. As Alastor's long claws moved to card through her hair she finally slipped into a comfortable sleep.