"Come in." She said with a soft sigh.

"Hey." Claude said, joining her and Travis in the room. "I jus’...I wanted to apologize..."

"For what?"

"For de way I've been actin' toward you lately...you were de only one really tryin' to help me an' I treated you like dirt. I'm sorry for dat."

Danielle smiled. "Apology accepted."

Claude held up his hand, revealing that he was wearing his wedding band again. "T’ings are gon’ be okay."

Her smile widened. "I’m glad."

"Me too. I really couldn' live wit'out him. It actually took intervention from his long-dead sister to make me realize dat he couldn' live wit'out me either. So I went to see him. An' we're gon' start over." Claude said.

"Bon."

Claude looked at Travis. "How is he?"

Danielle sighed heavily. She was utterly exhausted and it showed. "Not so great."

Travis went and stood beside her. "Mama."

"Has he said anythin’ but dat?"

Danielle picked her son up and set him in her lap. "Non."

"Aww..."

As always, Danielle tried to reassure her son. "It’s okay, Travis..."

The small child clung to his mother. "Mama..."

Claude looked sad. It hurt him to see the boy so traumatized. "I’m exhausted. I gotta go get some sleep. I jus’ wanted to apologize...an’ I hope he does better."

Danielle nodded. "So do I..."

Once Claude left, Danielle held Travis close to her. "I’m sorry dis happened, Travis..."

For his own part, Travis wasn’t paying much attention to what his mother was saying. He was staring at the doorway, where Claude had been just moments before, as if he was expecting someone else to come in through it at any minute. Finally, he spoke again.

"Mama?"

"Yeah Travis?" Danielle replied.

Travis then shocked his mother by saying something that wasn’t her name for the first time in weeks. "When?"

Danielle knew that her nephew, Jean-Michel had been talking to his father about how Henri had come back from the dead. She also knew that Travis had overheard the conversation. At the time it hadn’t occurred to her that her son would draw the conclusion that if one person could return from the dead, than anyone could.

His question confused her at first, but then she figured it out. "When’s Mommy comin’ back, you mean?"

Travis nodded, his lower lip trembled and his dark eyes filled with tears. More than anything in the world he wanted Mommy to come back and be with him and Mama.

Danielle sighed. "To be honest, I don’ know...I don’ even know if she is comin’ back from where she is..."

Travis sniffled in response.

"I wish she would...I goofed up big time." Danielle admitted.

Travis looked up into her face. "Mama love Mommy?"

Danielle nodded. "Oui, but I didn’ show it as much as I should have. I miss her so much now..."

Another idea came to him. "Mama love Travis?"

That was an easy one. Danielle hugged her son close to her. He was so important to her now. "Oui I do. Even though I was bad ‘bout showin’ it, I always have loved you. I always will, no matter what."

"Mama stay always?" Travis asked.

"Oui."

Travis was satisfied with that. He cuddled close against her and went back to looking at the door. "Mama. Mommy."

Danielle watched the door too, holding her son in her arms. She wasn’t expecting any miracles, but it didn’t hurt to look even though she felt like she’d wasted all her chances.

Up in heaven, Grace’s heart was breaking. More than anything, she just wanted to go back. And she wanted to go right that second. The tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked over at Gabriel, who was standing beside her.

"Please can I go?"

Gabriel looked at her. "You remember the conditions?"

"Yes."

"It will be up to you to make sure she knows and understands them. If she fails, you will return here immediately, with no chance for good-byes."

"I understand, just please...let me go back..."

Gabriel was silent for a few moments while he spoke with God mentally. Then he nodded. "Close your eyes and count to five, then open them."

Grace did as she was told and closed her eyes. She counted to five and then opened them. When she opened them she was standing behind Danielle and Travis and she wasn’t a ghost. She was as solid and alive as they were. She could even feel her heart beating in her chest.

They continued to look at the door, unaware that she was there. She spoke softly.

"Behind you..."

Danielle turned. "Grace...?"

At the same time, Travis spoke. "Mommy?"

Grace smiled, her eyes filled with tears. "Yes."

"Dieu..." Danielle whispered.

Travis wasted no time. He scrambled out of his Mama’s lap and ran over to Grace. "MOMMY!"

In that short time, Grace knelt down. She caught her son in her arms and hugged him tightly. "I’m so sorry...I love you so much...I missed you..." Then she looked up at Danielle. "I might not be able to stay..."

"I don’ care if you can only stay for a day..." Danielle said as Grace stood, with Travis running around her feet excitedly. "I’m sorry...I miss you...I love you..."

Grace hugged her. "I never left your side after I died...I love you both so much...but in a sense this is a test..."

Danielle couldn’t stop the tears. "I was such an idiot...I screwed up royally..."

Grace nodded. "That's why this is a test...I was told...if you've really learned from this...and really show that you love Travis and me...and are willing to put us before the guild always and forever...then I'll be allowed to stay. If not...I'll have to leave again and I'll never be allowed to return..." She cried quietly.

"I don’ wan’ lose you ‘gain..." Danielle whispered, holding her close. She was very grateful for the chance she was being given and she didn’t want to mess it up.

"I don’t want to go again...it hurt so bad..." Grace admitted.

Danielle’s voice took on a determined quality. "Screw the Guild...I don’ ever wan’ hurt you ‘gain."

Travis looked up from one to the other and back. "Mommy? Mama?"

Grace smiled. "Baby it’s okay...Mama an’ I are gon’ start over..."

Danielle’s voice was soft. "Oui, we are..."

"And this time it’s going to be different." Grace finished.

"So very diff’rent." Danielle confirmed.

Grace leaned over and kissed her partner gently, her eyes filled with tears of love, hope and joy. Similar tears could be seen in Danielle’s eyes.

Travis watched them and somehow knew in his young heart that everything was going to be okay from that point on.

Lucas was surprised. Kiara usually sat with him in the class they had together. But this particular morning, she sat in the farthest corner of the room and spoke to no one. When the class was over, Lucas, instead of leaving like the other students and the professor, went to the back of the room to where his fiancée was sitting.

He sat beside her. "Kiara?"

Kiara looked up at him. She was pale and disheveled, with a lost look in her eyes. "Lucas..."

Lucas’ internal alarm went off. "What happened? What is it?"

She whispered, her voice shaky. "Oh god..."

This alarmed Lucas even more. "Kiara please..."

Kiara rested her head against him and cried. Lucas held her, very concerned with what was making her act this way. He waited until she collected herself even though he had a zillion questions.

Once Kiara calmed down enough, she told him what she could. "One minute I was in the on-campus cafe, sipping coffee...then I got somewhat woozy...I blacked out...woke up in an alley near Bourbon Street...oh god..."

Upon hearing that, Lucas was ready to flip out at someone. "Someone slipped something in your coffee..."

Kiara nodded slowly. "I can’t remember anything that happened..."

Lucas hugged her as she started crying again. "Oh honey..."

"I do know I was wearing jeans when I was in the café...and a skirt when I woke up..."

Lucas nodded. "Okay. I have one question. After that we’re going to see my father, and then we’re going to hospital."

"Okay..."

"Where do you hurt?" Lucas could tell from the way she acted that she was in pain and he wanted to know.

"Back...jaw...pelvis..." Kiara whispered.

"Can you walk okay?" Lucas asked, careful not to touch the skirt, as he knows his father will want it as evidence.

Kiara slowly got up and winced in pain as she did so. "This is not going to be fun..."

Lucas agreed. "No it’s not. I’m sorry...so sorry..."

He took her, slowly, to the police station and asked Sergeant Marks, who was at the front desk again, to get his father. He did so, and the Chief was there in seconds.

"What happened, Lucas?"

Lucas got a chair for Kiara to sit down on and explained what he knew to his father. "I don't know. Kiara was studying in the coffee shop last night, turned away from her coffee for one minute, and someone slipped something in it. She got woozy afterwards, blacked out and woke up across town this morning not wearing the same clothes she was when she was at the coffee shop. An' she's sore."

The Chief sighed. "Dieu...third case this week..."

"What?" Lucas demanded, shocked. He wasn’t expecting to hear his father say that.

"Two other young ladies, both college students, came an' reported dat de same t'ing happened to dem." The Chief explained.

"Good lord..."

"We’re working around the clock to find the perpetrator, believe me." The Chief said.

"What should we do?" Lucas asked.

His father didn’t waste any time. "Take her to the hospital. I’ll call her father."

Lucas took Kiara and left the police station. They headed directly to the hospital. Meanwhile, the Chief kept his word. He went into his office and called Theoren in the tunnels.

Theoren picked up the phone when it rang. "Hello?"

"Hello Theoren. This is Jean-Auguste."

"Oh hey. What’s goin’ on?" Theoren was surprised to hear from him.

"I’m calling about Kiara. She and Lucas just showed up at the station..."

Theoren nearly dropped the phone. "What happened? What’s wrong? Is she okay?"

The Chief didn’t mince words. "She was studying at the coffee shop last night, turned away from her drink for a minute...someone slipped something in it. She got woozy, blacked out, and woke up on the other side of town sore and not wearin' de same clothes."

"Oh mon Dieu...where is she? Is she okay?"

"Lucas just took her to the hospital. I’m sure she’ll be fine. She’s the third person this week to report something like this happening to them. We’re working to find the person responsible."

"Okay..."

"I’ll let you know the second we hear anything, I promise."

"Okay, t’anks. I’m goin’ to de hospital to be wit’ my daughter."

Theoren used the tunnels to get to the hospital, and as such, arrived in record time. He went to the main registration area and asked the nurse on duty where Kiara and Lucas were, and, armed with that information, went to find them. He said Kiara’s name as he approached.

"Kiara!"

Kiara looked up, her eyes filled with fear and pain. "Papa..."

Theoren went to her side and wrapped his arms around her. "It’s okay baby..."

Kiara leaned against him and started to cry again.

"Shh...it’s okay...I’m here..." Theoren was so angry at whoever did this to his little girl that he could have bitten a nail in two. He knew, however, that the police were doing whatever they could and that he’d just have to wait and let them do their job.

A short while later, the doctor returned. "Kiara?"

Kiara, Theoren and Lucas all looked up, fearing the worst and praying for the best.

"The tests are negative, for all the tests." The doctor told them, to their relief.

Theoren’s fatherly instincts kicked in again. "Excuse me, what exactly did you test her for? I’m her father."

"Certain STDs, such as HIV." The doctor responded.

Theoren nodded. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Certainly." The doctor led the way into the hallway outside the room where Kiara was being kept. Theoren followed, after telling Kiara he’d be right back.

"What is it you’d like to know?" The doctor asked.

"Was she...y’know...?" Theoren couldn’t quite bring himself to say the word and hoped the doctor would know what he meant.

"She was forced to have oral and anal sex." The doctor said frankly.

Theoren let out a breath and nodded slowly. "When can she come home?"

"Tonight, if there are no complications."

"Okay, t’anks." Theoren said, and went back into the room. He addressed Kiara. "If dere are no complications you can come home tonight."

Kiara nodded, and rested against the pillows. "So tired..."

Theoren understood. "Get some rest. Lucas an’ I will still be here when you wake up."

"Okay..." Within a few moments, Kiara was asleep.

While she slept, Theoren told Lucas what the doctor told him. Needless to say, Lucas was as mortified at the whole idea as Theo had been.

She woke up a few hours later. Theoren smiled at her. "Hi."

Kiara tried to smile back, but couldn’t quite manage it. "Papa..."

Theo went to her side, sat on the bed and hugged her. "It’s okay, baby..."

Kiara started crying.

"Shh...I’m here, Lucas is here...it’s gon’ be okay..."

Over at the police station, the Chief was hanging up the phone. "Thank God!" He barged through the station, barking. "Marks!"

"Chief?" Marks said, looking over at the Chief from his desk.

"I want you do to a background check on Derek Alvers. Get me everything you can find on him. Now."

Marks nodded. "I’m on it."

While Marks did the background check, the Chief called the hospital and told Lucas, who answered the phone, about the lead. He could hear the relief in his son’s voice and hoped that everything was okay at the hospital. After two hours, Marks returned and knocked on the Chief’s office door.

"Chief?"

The Chief looked up. "Tell me you’ve got something, Marks."

"Oui." Marks nodded. "Derek Alvers maintains a pornography website. It's mainly for people who want to see dis kind of t'ing. Here." He went to the Chief’s computer and pulled up a website. "See?"

"Mon Dieu..." The Chief had to look away. "People pay to see this?

"Unfortunately. And he got Kiara, as you can see." Marks said. "However, he wasn’t very smart. He’s got his address on the bottom here, in really small print."

The Chief looked at the address and spoke, his voice filled with a deadly angry calm. "I want him dealt with. Now."

Marks nodded and rounded up some officers to go arrest Derek Alvers immediately.

The Chief picked up his phone and called Kiara’s hospital room again. He gave the good news to Theoren that the man responsible for Kiara’s ordeal was being arrested as they spoke. Theoren was so relieved it was unreal. The only thing he wanted to know is if they could get the website deleted once everything was over. And the Chief said it would not be a problem, and they’d get it deleted as soon as possible.

So he didn’t. He spent most of his time taking long walks around New Orleans and growing more and more detached from his wife. Occasionally he’d stop into one of the many local bars for a drink and some entertainment, but for the most part, he just stayed on the streets, walking around and taking in the sights and sounds of his hometown.

Singer tried to keep her feelings regarding this turn of events from everyone. She was deeply hurt and very lonely; she felt detached not only from her husband, whom she still loved, but the guild as a whole. She didn’t feel like she fit in anywhere, and it was really hard to take. Unfortunately, she turned from the candy sticks back to heroin, and quickly resumed her addiction. In her mind, she felt the only way she was able to keep it together and not let on how much she was hurting was to get high, so she did. And no one knew.

One night, Genard stopped in at a bar and met a lovely young woman named Kit. They sat and talked and drank for quite a few hours, until both were very intoxicated. Neither knew exactly what was going to happen, even as Genard went back to Kit’s house to meet her two pet ferrets, Kirby and Alestar. It was very late, or very early, depending on how you looked at it, and they spent even more time sitting and talking on the couch in Kit’s living room.

Eventually, Kit fell asleep with her head resting on Genard’s shoulder. Nothing had transpired, other than Genard possibly making a new friend. He was quite comfortable where he was; even more comfortable than he’d been at home for months. But after he watched Kit sleep for a few moments, his gaze wandered around and for some reason landed on his wedding band. He panicked and immediately knew he had to get out of there. Very carefully, he managed to get up without waking Kit up. He found a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote her a brief note explaining that he was really sorry but he couldn't stay. Then he slipped out and walked home. He arrived back at his home in the tunnels just as the sun was coming up.

In what was perhaps a very big mistake on his part, Genard didn’t tell Singer where he had been that night. He had never told her where he went, usually because he just walked around town, but if he had been honest with her, what happened three nights later might have been avoided, if only for a short while.

Genard went out that evening as usual, but he decided to come back early. It wasn’t early enough though. When he arrived home, shortly after midnight, his children were all sleeping soundly in their rooms, but his wife was nowhere to be found. He figured she’d gone to visit Gris or Questa or Bella Donna, and left it at that. He lay down on his bed and thought to himself that it sucked to have to go to bed alone. That thought led him to decide he would never stay out past bedtime again, just so Singer wouldn’t have to go to bed alone again. Then he happened to look over at the bureau and his whole world came crashing down around him in burning embers.

Singer’s wedding band was on the top of the bureau. It was that ring that had caught his eye.

"What...?"

He got up and went to the bureau. Under the ring was a note in Singer’s beautiful handwriting.

"I love you. I don’t know what’s happened, but I just can’t stay. Singer."

“Mon Dieu..." Genard breathed in shock. He sank down on the bed, letting the note flutter to the floor, unheeded. He didn’t sleep that night. In fact, he didn’t move. He just sat there staring at a spot on the wall; tears rolled down his cheek in unending rivers the whole night, and went as unheeded as the note that remained on the floor.

The next morning, Genard asked his father to watch the children. Pierre agreed, naturally, as he loved taking care of his grandchildren.

Genard went around the entire city that day. Every spot he thought his wife might go, he went looking. He even went to the ruins of the Boudreaux mansion on the city outskirts, simply because it had been her home for so long. He eventually had to give up around suppertime, when it finally hit him that she was really gone and quite possibly never coming back. When that realization came to him, he went home, defeated.

Jean-Michel, who was more aware of how his mother had been feeling than anyone, being a very observant little boy, was waiting when Genard got home. He knew things no one else did, just from reading his mother’s lips when she would go around muttering to herself and looking for needles.

"Papa...?"

Genard signed as he spoke, something that came naturally to him. "Yeah?"

Jean-Michel went over and climbed up into his father’s lap. "Why would Mama need heron?"

Genard blinked. Did he mean...? "Do you mean heroin?"

"Yeah. She’s been goin’ ‘round a lot lately talkin’ ‘bout it. She cried a lot when she t’ought no one was lookin’ too." Jean-Michel said frankly.

Genard found he couldn’t answer his son’s question. "I can’ really explain it, I’m sorry..." He hugged Jean-Michel, more for his own comfort than his son’s. He was suddenly shaking and closer to tears than he’d been in several hours.

As soon as supper was over, he went into his room, shut the door and lay on the bed, stared at the ceiling and cried. The only thing he could think was how sorry he was.

In the summer of 2009, Alan had decided he’d waited long enough. He called up Mercy one humid afternoon.

"Hello?" Jessica answered; she had gotten to the phone before her mother.

"Hi Jessie. This is Alan. Can I talk to your mother please?"

"Sure." Jessie handed the phone to Mercy. "It’s Alan."

"Hey Alan." Mercy said.

"Hey Mercy. We need to talk. Now. Could you meet me at my apartment immediately?"

His tone alarmed Mercy. "Is everythin’ okay, Alan?"

He wouldn’t say. "Just get here now, Mercy. It’s urgent."

"Okay I’m on my way." Mercy hung up the phone and headed over to Alan’s apartment immediately.

When she got there and rang the doorbell, Alan answered. "Hey."

"What’s goin’ on, Alan?" Mercy wanted to know.

In response, Alan got down on one knee and opened a small black jewelry box, revealing a stunning diamond engagement ring. "Mercy will you marry me?"

Mercy was too shocked to speak for several moments. Finally, a huge smile on her face, she gave him his answer. "Yes...!"

Alan got up and slipped the ring on her finger, smiling widely. Mercy, happier than she’d been in so long, slid her arms around him and kissed him.

The news hurt Emil quite a bit more than he wanted to admit. He had grown accustomed to having Henri in his life again and to lose him so abruptly for a second time was a tough blow. However, it was clear to Emil that Henri was very happy with his decision; happier than he’d been while living in the tunnels.

So Emil had no choice but to accept it and he did.

That night, which happened to be two months after Mattie turned three, Emil put the children to bed and went into the bedroom to join his wife, who was lying on the bed wearing nothing but a leopard print bra and panties.

Emil’s powers enabled him to sense when babies were conceived the moment it happened. It always thrilled him to no end, especially when the child in question was his. Two days after the leopard print night, Emil woke up in the early morning hours to a very familiar feeling. Allie was pregnant with not one, but two babies. A little more focus with his powers told Emil the children in question were boys.

Allie took the news that she was expecting twins rather well, all things considered. She and Emil had wanted five children, and she was lucking out in that she was getting to have the five children with only four pregnancies. So she was happy with that side of it.

For the next eight and a half months, Emil insisted that Allie rest and relax, especially after she reached the five-month mark. He was an amazing husband during that time; he waited on Allie hand and foot, and did ninety-five percent of the parenting as well. All three of the children were well-behaved, and excited about the upcoming arrival of their baby brothers, especially Alex, who had always secretly wanted at least one brother to even things out with his two little sisters.

One afternoon, just before Mattie’s fourth birthday in 2010, Allie, who was lying in the bedroom, called out to Emil. "Emil?"

As always, he joined her promptly. "Oui, ma chere?"

"Thought of any names for our currently nameless sons?" Allie asked. They had decided early in the pregnancy that Emil would chose the first names and Allie would pick middle names to go with them.

Emil nodded. "Actually, yeah. I really like Oliver and Patrick, mainly b’cause dey’re not French. I figured since de other children don’ have French names, de twins shouldn’ either."

Allie smiled. She liked the names. "How about Oliver Ryan and Patrick Owen?"

"Perfect." Emil agreed.

"Good, because today’s the day." Allie said through clenched teeth.

"Holy crap!" Emil exclaimed. He’d had no idea.

Several hours later, Emil bonded with Oliver and encouraged Allie at the same time; she was struggling to deliver Patrick. She eventually did it, and the proud parents realized that their twin boys were identical. As far as they could tell right then, there was absolutely no way to tell the boys apart.

Shortly after the delivery, Mercy found she was unable to keep the three older children out of the room any longer. "Sorry, guys..." She said, holding up her hands in defeat as eight-year-old Alex, six-year-old Lizzie and four-year-old Mattie tumbled into the room, anxious to meet the twins.

Emil laughed softly. "It’s okay, Merce."

Allie smiled lovingly at her three older children. "Come here and meet your brothers, guys..."

Alex, Lizzie and Mattie crowded around her and Emil, eager to see the twins.

"Dey’re small..." Mattie commented, her eyes wide.

"Yeah dey are. An’ you were once dat small." Emil told her. "Dis is Oliver, an’ dat’s Patrick. Ollie is older by about fifteen minutes."

"Dat’s it?" Lizzie asked.

"Mm-hmm. That’s part of being twins." Allie explained.

Alex studied his two brothers intently. He was very quiet, just like his grandfather had been. "Dey look exactly de same. How do you know dat’s Ollie an’ dat’s Pat?"

"Well aside from de fact dat he was born first an’ we decided to name de one dat was born first Oliver..." Emil laughed. "We jus’ know. But we’ll make sure to dress dem diff’rently so you guys will know too."

Two years had passed since Remy’s life had changed forever. The Devil had shown up one day, hell-bent, if you’ll pardon the pun, on getting an innocent soul. The soul he wanted was that of Jaiden, but lucky for her, she had a rather over-protective guardian angel in her uncle Julien. He prevented Lucifer from harming her. Lucifer, being a vampire who craved souls the way most crave blood, decided to attack the baby girl’s father instead.

Naturally, even with Julien’s help, Remy was powerless against Lucifer, and nearly died when the vampire bit him. But Remy didn’t want to die, and when Lucifer told him he could prevent that from happening, Remy, thinking only of the fact that he didn’t want Jaiden to grow up without her father, agreed. It was a foolish thing to do, perhaps, but at the time, it was his best option, since the other option was death.

So Remy was turned into a vampire by Lucifer. His eyes went from red-on-black to iridescent blue on white. It took a lot of convincing from his friends and family that he was still Remy and they still loved him in the days and weeks that followed. It took even longer to get used to the fact that he needed to drink blood to survive. He knew he was a pain in the neck, but the first few times he insisted it be mixed with V8 juice. But after awhile, he got used to it, and even started killing his own rats.

And now he was worrying about the rat supply. Vampire or no, he simply could not bring himself to drink the blood of person. He couldn’t do it. The very idea repulsed him in a way that would have been comical if he wasn’t so serious about it.

He was also worried about what Jaiden’s reaction would be when she was old enough to find out the truth about him. She was still very young, and didn’t realize that anything was out of the ordinary. Her parents still had a good relationship, and Bel was even pregnant with a little brother for her. Remy had discovered that under most normal circumstances he would have been sterile after becoming a vampire, but because he was created by Lucifer, he was not. It was something he was grateful for, since he and Bella Donna had always planned to have a second child.

For their own part, the Guild had accepted Remy as he was, although they were even more careful not to anger him, as he was even more dangerous now than he was before. As Emil liked to joke, Remy was a vampire who could blow shit up. And that was a scary combination as far as the rest of the world was concerned.

On Christmas Eve, Bella Donna was helping Remy put all of Jaiden’s stocking stuff out after she was in bed and something happened. She’d been experiencing pain on and off for the past few hours, but didn’t think anything of it since she wasn’t due for a month. But then she felt something else; a distinct gushing wetness.

"Oh mon Dieu..."

Remy looked up from where he was arranging some of the presents. "What?"

Bel motioned to the puddle on the floor at her feet. "My water jus’ broke..."

It wasn’t possible for Remy to look more stunned. He’d had no idea. "But...you...it’s..."

Bel sighed. "I’ve had pains off an’ on all day, but didn’ t’ink anythin’ of it b’cause it’s still a month from my due date, but…my water has definitely broken. I’m in labor."

"Oh dear lord..." Remy said.

Only three hours later, barely into Christmas Day, Remy and Bella Donna welcomed their son, whom they named Marius Luc, into the world. The only people who knew of the birth besides them were Mercy and Emil, who were sworn to secrecy, and Jaiden, who had woken up when she heard her little brother crying and came to investigate. Remy mentally contacted the entire Guild family and asked that they all meet in the library at 10 a.m.

They did so, crowding in, wondering what on earth was going on. They were soon joined by Jaiden, who was having a very hard time keeping her mouth shut because she was quite excited about the arrival of her brother. And after her came Remy and Bella Donna, who was carrying the baby.

"Merry Christmas!" Remy said. "Bel, Jaiden an’ I would like to formally introduce you all to de newest addition to de Guild fam’ly. He made a surprise appearance at 1:26 a.m. dis mornin’, an’ after very little deliberation, we d’cided to call him Marius Luc, in honor of his two grandfathers."

That holiday season was a bright one for the Guild. The beginning of 2011 was filled with great hope and expectation for everyone in the family.

Well, almost everyone.

Genard was severely depressed. He had been since Singer had walked out the door, and it was getting worse. He loved his children, and was focusing as much of his energy and love as he could on them, but it was starting to get to the point where he was just going through the motions, even with them. That hurt him, because he knew they needed him. They needed him to be strong, and to just be there for them, and it was hard to do that when he couldn’t be there for himself.

He went to bed every night and cried himself to sleep. He was so lonely, and so desperate to have his wife back, to hold her and be with her and tell her he was sorry and he loved her, that it was literally impossible for him to fall asleep alone in that bed without crying the pain out first.

He never left the tunnels. In fact, he didn’t even go out into the tunnels very much, but rather stayed in his home. He had sunk so low so quickly that the other Guild members were quite worried about his mental and emotional health. Emil made it a point very soon after Singer left to check in on Genard using his powers at least once an hour while they were awake. And he couldn’t fall asleep any night until after Genard was asleep, because the older man’s pain was just too great and Emil couldn’t block even though he tried.

Pierre became the member of the Alouette family who did all the shopping for the family. Occasionally Danielle went, but only if Grace and Travis went along. She had become a bit anal about keeping close tabs on them.

Genard’s only real contact with the outside world was through the newspapers that his father brought home on a daily basis. Genard would read through them from first page to last, harboring a secret hope that there’d be something there about his wife. He had not removed his wedding band and didn’t intend to. Plus he had left Singer’s where she’d put it. He had no intention of moving it from that spot. The only person who would do that was her.

And so far, she wasn’t coming home.

Lizzie was quickly becoming the black sheep of the Lapin family. She wasn’t interested in being a thief, or computers, the way Alex and Mattie were. Even at her young age, she preferred to sit in her room and draw. She felt very alienated from her family, especially her father, whom she idolized, but who had no real idea of how to connect with her. She was quite an artist, and didn’t even realize that she could be internationally famous for her work eventually if she wanted to.

Alex was quiet and reserved, and got a kick out of his mother, who often came into his room to make sure he was still there. Most of the time, she found him fast asleep, a book open in his hands. He liked reading, and he liked the fact that his father was teaching him how to hack. He enjoyed spending quiet time with his family and didn’t quite understand the desire that his father and baby sister Mattie had to be always laughing and joking around.

It was discovered early on that Mattie was identical to her father, personality wise. She was loud, talkative and even at the age of four was developing a sarcastic, obnoxious sense of humor. It drove Allie crazy, and she continually tried to break the child of the habits, to no avail. Emil, tickled pink that one of the children was so much like him, actually encouraged her and told her stories of the things he did as a child.

The Alouette children weren’t quite so straight-forward. Jean-Michel, even at the age of seven, was well aware of himself and the world, and he knew things people wouldn’t expect him to know. For instance, he knew he was gay. He’d had a crush on Alex since he was five. He was terrified to let anyone know, however, so he kept it a deep, dark secret. He had been hurt deeply by his mother’s departure from his life, and had a stack of letters to her that he’d written. He wrote her one a month and put them in a shoebox.

His younger sister Genevieve had been hurt even more than Jean-Michel had been. She had idolized her mother and wanted to be just like her, in more than just looks. She had begun her assassin training, but once her Mama was gone, she lost all interest in it. As soon as she learned how to print, she started writing little poems and stories. She gave up on being an assassin completely, and was deeply hurt and angry at her mother.

Lucas was only three, and didn’t quite understand yet what had gone on. He just knew that his mother wasn’t around anymore. It bothered him; he missed her. But more than that, he didn’t like it that his father and siblings were so hurt. He made it his plan to be as loving towards them as he possibly could, even when they didn’t want him to be. His impulsive hugs often got him yelled at by his sister and shrugged off by his brother, but Genard took a lot of comfort in his youngest child and always welcomed the affectionate gestures.

It never ceased to amaze Justin that his younger siblings could get into so much. They were only two and it hadn’t occurred to Justin that when he was two, he got into a lot of stuff, just like them. He was six now, and didn’t do that kind of thing anymore. But Chris and Sam got into everything. Justin tried to be patient with them, though, because his parents told him he should. He was his father’s son from top to bottom, and was training diligently to be an assassin. He was also almost painfully shy, and kept to himself when he wasn’t training with Questa and Gris-Gris.

Hija, the beautiful older daughter of Gris-Gris, had already started her training as a healer. Danielle had made a deal with Gris that she would train any of his children who wanted to be healers, and she kept her end of that deal. Hija spent a great deal of time with Danielle and her family, and enjoyed her time there. Healing was something that was in her blood, she had known that almost immediately, and it came naturally to her. The biggest accomplishment of her young life was when Jean-Michel’s cat Boxer got sick and under her teacher’s guidance, she was able to heal him.

Hija’s younger sister Kali was the same age as Chris and Sam. Kali was anything but a sweet-tempered toddler, having inherited more than a few of her father’s personality traits. Even Hija had figured out that living with Kali as they grew up was going to be a trial. Gris and Amelia had discussed it, and were hoping that Gris would be able to channel Kali’s negative energy and focus it on the art of assassination. The little girl certainly had the makings for a wonderful assassin.

Travis hated to admit it, but he lived in fear every single day. It had been two years since his Mommy Grace had come back to him and Mama, and he thanked God everyday for it, but he still lived in fear. He was terrified that he was going to wake up one morning and one or both of his mothers would be gone. He didn’t like to let them out of his sight, although he tended to get sidetracked when Hija came over for her lessons. He couldn’t narrow it down to anything specific, but he really liked her.

Beautiful Jaiden was still oblivious to her father’s nature, and it didn’t bother her in the least. She was spoiled but that didn’t alter her charming personality any. She genuinely cared about those around her, and even told her guardian angel Julien that he had to look after her little brother too, not just her. Remy and Bella Donna had decided to train both their children in the arts of thieving and assassination and let them pick which one, if either, they wanted to focus on as they got older.

It still amazed Kiara that she had a little brother. Zachary was two, and was a charming cross between Theoren and Nara. And he adored his big sister more than anything in the world. He glued himself to her when she was home, and nobody but Kiara could successfully read him a bedtime story.

Each of the children were very different, and as they got older their differences would be critical in molding who they were as individual people and as a group.

"Mom?" Robin asked one cool January day.

Zoë smiled. "Yes, Robin?"

Robin was always a child who got right to the point. "How come you and Dad never had any children of your own?"

Zoë blinked. She certainly hadn’t been expecting to get asked that question by her daughter. "I’m not really sure, to be honest. We just never talked of it."

"Well why don’t you? I’d like to have a little brother or sister sometime." Robin said frankly.

"We’ll see, sweetheart." Zoë said. "We'll see."

That night after Robin went to bed, Zoë addressed the issue with her husband. Marcel had never shown any interest in having a child, and it had always secretly bothered Zoë. Robin was right; they should have discussed it a long time ago.

"Marcel?"

Marcel looked up from the paper he was reading. "Yes, Zoë?"

"Robin asked me an interesting question today."

"Oh? And what was that?" Marcel was interested.

"She wanted to know why we never had any children of our own..." Zoë said.

"Ah."

Zoë wanted to know what that meant, but didn’t press it. She knew her husband well enough to know that he’d tell her when he was ready to tell her and that was it. She was right.

"Truth be told, Zoë, I’ve never really wanted to have children of my own." Marcel admitted. "Especially babies. I was very open to adopting Robin because she was nine years old when she came into our lives. She wasn’t a baby."

"Oh..." Zoë was crushed, but tried not to show it. She wanted a baby...a child created out of the love she and Marcel shared. And it was starting to look like she wasn’t going to be getting her wish.

"I’m sorry..."

"It’s okay. Don’ worry ‘bout it..." Zoë said lightly, trying to make it seem like it wasn’t as big a deal as it really was. Inside her heart was breaking and it was hard not to cry. She lie down and fell asleep without speaking another word about the topic.

Several weeks later, Zoë noticed something that frightened her more than anything she’d ever seen in her life. She was in the shower and discovered that one of her breasts had a lump in it.

She didn’t tell Marcel about it, but rather just went to the hospital and got tested. A week later Dr. Samson called her with the bad news. She had breast cancer, which included a sizable lump in her left breast. She was going to need chemo and radiation treatments and surgery to remove the lump as soon as possible.

The whole conversation broke Zoë’s heart. She was terrified as well. She hung up the phone and went to Marcel in the kitchen.

"We need to talk..."

Marcel looked up and saw the look on her face and nearly dropped his sandwich on he floor. "What is it? What’s wrong?"

"I didn’t want to worry you, in case it was nothing, that’s why I didn’t say anything. But the other day I found a lump in my breast. I went to the hospital and got tested. I just heard back from Dr. Samson. I have breast cancer. I need to go for surgery to remove the lump and I’ll need extensive radiation and chemo therapy." Zoë told him.

"My God..."

Tears welled up in Zoë’s eyes. "The scary thing is I don’t know if we’re catching it in time..."

Marcel hugged her. "Everything will be okay, Zoë. I promise."

Even at their young ages, the children who wanted to were being trained in the ways of the Guild. There were different areas in which they could specialize in, especially those who were training to be thieves. Each of the adult thieves had a specialty that the young ones could choose from. Emil and Theoren were both computer hackers, but while Emil was the hacker, Theo was the one who scrubbed the computers for information. Genard was a safe-cracker; there wasn’t a safe in the world he couldn’t break into. Danielle was a security breach expert. Like her brother, there wasn’t a security system in the world capable of keeping her out. Claude was the expert at art theft and transport. He was able to steal any painting or any statute, anywhere, and move it, without damaging it. Mercy was an information specialist, able to get information from anyone. And Henri, when he was there, was a code-breaker, with the ability to crack any code in less than thirty seconds. They also had the option of becoming a military espionage expert, which is what Jean-Luc had been before he died.

Alex had already decided he wanted to be a hacker, just like his dad. Emil was teaching him how to do it, and when he got older he was going to teach him how to make hacking programs. The kid had quite a knack for it even at his young age, Emil noticed, and it thrilled him. Hacking was in the genes.

Much to the amazement of the entire Guild, Jean-Michel, in spite of his disability, had decided that he was going to specialize in military espionage, since no one else in the Guild was specializing in that.

None of the other children had decided what to specialize in yet, as they were all too young to even know what the different areas were about. That would change in later years, as they got older and started to discover what they were good at.