It was evening when Rhea finally finished helping Old Nana on her farm, gathering corn and grains. They chatted and laughed, leaving Valerie wondering if they had known each other long before they met.
Her attention lingered on Rhea’s smile-the way her dimple appeared whenever she stretched, making her look even more beautiful.
By evening, Old Nana promised to make something special for dinner. Rhea offered to help, but the old woman refused.
Reluctantly, Rhea gave up and joined Valerie, who was sitting outside staring at the night sky.
“Hey,” Rhea greeted, and Valerie smiled at her.
“Sorry my Nana has been stressing you,” Valerie mumbled.
“No… it’s fun here. She reminds me of my grandmother. She loved taking me to the farm. Doing it with Old Nana feels like a breath of fresh air. With Morty not around, I feel relaxed here,” Rhea chuckled.
“She is kind of extravagant sometimes, though,” Valerie mumbled.
“I’m fine,” Rhea assured her.
Silence settled between them.
“So, you… you said you wanted to tell me something. We didn’t have the chance to be alone… that’s why I never asked.”
Their eyes met.
“Why did you come all the way to find me?” Valerie asked softly.
Rhea swallowed and sat up. “It’s about that night.”
Valerie secretly took a deep breath. The truth was, she hadn’t brought up the topic-not because they were busy, but because she was afraid of rejection.
“When you did that…” Rhea began. “I couldn’t stop thinking about it…” She sighed, fidgeting with her fingers. “I thought I’d get mad, but I couldn’t. It kept replaying in my mind, making my heart beat faster.”
It was the same for Valerie. Hearing Rhea admit she felt the same stirred something deep within her.
“I feel safe around you… I feel alive, and I don’t want it to end,” Rhea said with a soft chuckle. “I… I think we should give it a try.”
Valerie’s eyes widened at Rhea’s words, her lips parting in shock. Rhea leaned forward and pressed her lips against hers, igniting a fire between them.
As Rhea started to pull away, Valerie cupped her face, reconnecting their lips in a passionate kiss, their movements perfectly in sync.
Old Nana, who was secretly watching them, shook her head with a soft chuckle.
“Oh, those two lovebirds,” she mumbled.
–
The next day, Klaus, Morticia, and the others returned to Washington. Finn had prepared one of his hotels for the family to stay in, but Klaus refused. He preferred staying with Ava.
At the hospital, preparations for the surgery were scheduled for the following week.
“How sure is it that it’s going to work?” Josephine asked, her voice trembling slightly.
“It’s a slim chance, but I know you can do this,” Klaus said, trying to convince her.
Josephine looked at Ava, who seemed to support the idea.
“I know you’re scared, and you told me you want to live your life to the fullest before anything happens, but… I can’t watch you slowly fade away without doing anything. So please,” Ava pleaded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
“Oh, Ava,” Josephine breathed, turning to look at Klaus, who held a pleading expression.
“I’ll be with you. We’ll spend time together, go to the beach you love, stroll through the park-do so many things together until your surgery. And when you wake up, I owe you a fancy dinner,” Klaus promised, and Josephine smiled, caressing his cheek with her fingers.
How could she say no when her son was doing everything in his power to save her? She had heard of the restless nights Klaus spent searching for a cure. She couldn’t say no.
In the end, she agreed, and Klaus’s face lit up with a bright smile-one she had seen before when he danced with Morticia. This time, it was directed at her.
–
Morticia smiled as she stepped into the apartment after a while. The familiar cozy feeling overwhelmed her.
“Finally home,” she mumbled, dropping her bag on the dining table.
Her mind drifted to Klaus, who was with Josephine at the moment and hoped he would be able to convince her to accept the surgery.
She went into the kitchen to prepare dinner before her mother and Klaus arrived. She made something very alluring, its sweet aroma filling the air.
After she was done, she smiled at the lovely meal she prepared. The memories of her experiences with Klaus in New York brought a huge smile to her face.
Her phone rang, disrupting her thoughts. It was Vincent.
“Innocent Demon!” Vincent exclaimed on the other end of the phone.
“Hey! Do you have a death wish or something?!” Morticia snapped.
“That’s if you can demon. Are you guys back yet?” Vincent asked.
Before Vincent could respond, Klaus stepped into the apartment.
“Yeah, we are,” Morticia replied. Klaus raised a brow, and Morticia mouthed that it was Vincent.
“Where’s Mom?” Morticia asked when she saw no sign of Ava.
“Oh, she is staying with my mom tonight… I’ll be staying here,” Klaus said, making Morticia’s cheeks flush.
“Hey, what’s up, Vince!” Klaus called out to Vincent, who was on the other end. Morticia put the phone on speaker.
“Sinful Motherfucker. How are you doing? How’s Josephine?” Vincent asked.
“We’re good. She agreed to the surgery,” Klaus replied, making Morticia gasp.
“Really?! That’s great!” Morticia squealed. “Hey, big head, when are you coming back?” she directed the question to Vincent.
“Soon. I promise,” Vincent said. “I miss family, except you, Innocent Demon.”
“Hey!” Before Morticia could yell her words, Vincent ended the call.
“I’m going to kill him, really…” Morticia’s words were cut off when Klaus crossed the distance between them and hugged her tight.
“I’m so happy, and scared at the same time… I just need this embrace for a while,” Klaus whispered. Morticia smiled and hugged him back.
“You did well. You did so well, my love,” she whispered.
Klaus broke the hug to meet her gaze. “I love the nickname.”
“My love,” Morticia whispered, her hands wrapping around his torso.
“I love you… and I’m going to tell your brother once he is back from his trip that you’re the only one I want,” Klaus said, leaning close, his breath hitting her face, their lips almost brushing against each other.
“Klaus… let’s have dinner first,” her heart raced from his soft touch and hot breath.
“You’re the tastiest. I’d like to have you first,” he whispered in a deep voice, taking her lips into a passionate kiss. Morticia moaned, throwing her arms around his neck.
Meanwhile, outside the apartment, a car drove into the arena, and a figure stepped out.
Morticia moaned as Klaus picked her up, making her sit on the table. They kissed as they pulled each other’s clothes, lost in the moment.
Klaus pulled her waist close, kissing her neck, nibbling her skin, and groaning at her taste. He couldn’t get enough.
Klaus’s mouth captured one of her exposed breasts, prompting her fingers to graze his back, gently caressing his skin.
The door creaked open without warning, gently and silently.
He stepped in with light footsteps, eyes darting and then settling upon the two figures kissing.
He tried.
He tried too hard to believe this was just an imagination. Not real…
This was not real, Vincent.
Your best friend is not kissing your half-naked little sister right now.
Yet as they continued, reality struck him hard, punching him in the gut.
Yeah, he had seen the pictures sent to him and ignored them.
It was a Photoshop, he had convinced himself.
Then he tested them.
What was it again? A taste of betrayal from a guy he took as a brother.
Rage upon rage clouded Vincent’s mind, veins appearing on his fists as he clenched them tight, as if it would lessen the intense anger surging through him. His eyes were red, tears threatening at the surface.
But his heavy breathing began making sounds, finally catching one of their attention.
Morticia.
She gasped, pulling herself away from Klaus and covering herself.
“Vincent!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide as she quickly covered herself.
Klaus’s eyes locked with Vincent’s… those eyes burning with nothing but rage.