Cupid's Journal

Time stops for no man, well the same is true for my Winters. I love them too much to stop playing while I wait for Supernatural which is what I need in order to start the 4th season. In the mean time, I've asked Cupid to keep a journal of the happenings in his family. While I keep playing, you won't miss a beat as to who's hooking up with who and who kids belong to so when Season 4 kicks off you'll know what's going on. 

Cupid's Journal can be found here. The list below can also be used to access his journal entries.

-- Pixx

Entry 1 - After Mom

Season 3

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Finale

-Finale-

Claus stood in the graveyard, he'd been coming there for nearly two weeks now. Jaylee's side of the bed was untouched, he kept expecting her to climb into bed and snuggle up against him. He couldn't come to grips with her death, it had happened too suddenly.

When was the last time he'd slept? Claus sighed, he'd asked Jamie to explain to him a million times how Jaylee died. Jamie had told him that it was a blow to the head, it caused her brain to hemorrhage. That part Claus could understand, what he couldn't understand why Jaylee didn't heal.

Claus flopped onto the sofa, suddenly he had a headache. Claus pretty much demanded of his mother-in-law to tell him why his wife hadn't healed up. Jamie had explained that the gift of the male vampire in Vita's employ possessed suppressed vampire abilities, such as mind reading, speed and healing. A rather simple explanation, but Claus just couldn't bring himself to understand.

He and Jaylee had a plan, he would grow old and die, and she would cry and be depressed for a few years and then she would get over it. By then their children would be grown so she would be able to grieve.

Cupid, like his sisters, had taken to sleeping in the tree house. He had dug up his father's tent and pitched it in the backyard, and for a while that had been his place when he wanted alone time. Cupid soon got tired of being outside though and moved into his grandmother's room. It was comforting to Agnes to have her grandson next to her, she wasn't comfortable in the bed since Jack died. 

As depressed as Claus was, he did not fall apart, he had three children to be strong for. They had just lost their mother, the last thing they needed was to see him moping around the house. 

He was especially proud of Egypt, she had been a wonderful big sister. She picked up the slack and took on a lot of Jaylee's responsibilities. Egypt helped to get her sister and brother ready for school, she made sure that they ate, and bathed and got their homework done before they went to bed. 

That was the reason Claus challenged her to a game of chess. The pair really bonded over chess, so while they played Claus let his daughter know that he was proud of her but at the same time she was a teenager and should be enjoying her teen years.

"But I want to help Daddy."

"I understand, but you're sixteen and if you take on the responsibility of raising two children now, you're gonna go crazy in your adulthood." He told her. "What I want you to do is sit back, go to a couple parties, find yourself a boyfriend and let me worry about Mama and Cupid."

Egypt gave her father an amused look, "Are you sure about that boyfriend part?"

"Shut up when I'm being supportive."

Egypt busted up laughing, she loved her father so much. While her friends complained about their parents embarrassing them and ruining their lives, she could honestly say that she never had that problem. Both of her parents supported her, and she could talk to them about anything. 

"Daddy, I love you." Egypt said, she'd seen the pain in his eyes although he tried to hide it. "We'll get through this. Me and you, Sahara and Cupid...and maybe Grandma, we'll all get through this together."

Claus squeezed his daughter's hand.

"The world has been rocked today as various celebrities and popular public figures have come out of the closet as Vampires. Who would have guessed that there has been a secret subgroup among us for...centuries?"

"Vampires, the creatures of nightmares, they are among us. Many are questioning what the vampires making their presence known means for us humans and our future. Will we coexist peacefully with these creatures?"

Agnes looked at the TV screen and had a million different thoughts at the same time. She felt everything from horror to disgust to fascination and there was even amusement mixed in. Vampires? Surely this had to be a joke!

Lately, it was the only thing in the news. She was shocked after the fire that killed mayor Vita and two unidentified persons, nearly immediately after that local celebrities, political figures and even regular citizens came out of the...coffin. Some even said that Vita and the other two persons who died alongside her were vampires, and that their bodies had been burnt to stop them from healing. But to Agnes, that was just too bizarre. She was old now and set in her ways, she could not bring herself to believe in the existence of vampires. 

-24-

Mathew trembled, the night was drafty and his shirt was lacking sleeves. "Damn, this is a big house." Mathew commented. 

"Not really." Jamie told him. "We still do not know where Jaylee is though."

Jamie sighed, "Mathew, you can still back out. Jaylee is not your responsibility after all, she is mine and if I had corrected her, things would not have gotten this far."

Mathew smiled. "Jamie when I came here Jaylee was not my responsibility, now she's family. She's a pain in my butt and a thorn in my side, but she's still family." He patted Jamie's shoulder. "And even if she wasn't, after all the kindness you've shown me it would be my pleasure to help you." Mathew thought for a minute and then said, "You have no reason to correct Jaylee, if you thought you did, you would have a long time ago. Many of the occult support her cause, but none are as brave as she is to actually pursue it."

For the first time in centuries, Jamie felt tears burn the back of her eyes. "You are such a loving boy." She took a deep breath and swallowed the emotions that were coming up. "Right, you search for Jaylee and I'll try to find Vita."

Mathew had wandered around the ground floor of the mansion and he couldn't help but frown. Jamie had said that the place was not that large, but obviously they had different definitions of the word. The stereo in the corner of the dining room caught his attention, classical music spilled from its speakers and he had to smirk at the irony. Such beautiful music for such an ugly situation.

"Aren't you a yummy little morsel." A musical voice said behind him. He turned just as a lovely woman wrapped herself around him.

"Oh yes, somebody who can help me. I'm looking for a girl about this tall, blond hair, blue eyes, have you seen her?"

"Ah yes, our house guest. Ms. Alto said that she is not allowed visitors."

"I'm sure she'll want to see me."

Jamie had been in Vita's house many times, never had she thought that she'd be in there under such circumstances. Vita was sitting casually in her sitting area, Jamie took a seat. "Vita, I am looking for my daughter."

Vita smirked, "I knew you would come. Jamie, I have tried numerous times to...get through to your daughter. You know as well as I do how delicate our balance is, and how important it is not to upset this balance."

"Vita, you're so set in your ways, it's time for a change."

"It was time for a change in the eighteenth century and it led to many of our brothers and sisters being brutally murdered."

"You keep dwelling on that Vita, times have changed and so have people, they allow men to lie with men, black people are no longer slaves to whites. Humans have become understanding."

"How understanding will you think them while you watch them rip your little grandson to shreds and burn the pieces?"

Jamie growled, "Where is my daughter Vita?"

"I'm a married man, so you understand right?" Mathew was saying to his assailant's lifeless body. Jamie and Jaylee did not come downstairs yet, so he figured that things were probably not going smoothly. The vampire was not allowing him to leave the dining room, so he bashed her head into the wall. He didn't exactly kill her, she would heal up in about an hour, hopefully by then he, Jamie and Jaylee would be long gone.

"I see you brought your pet, I'm sure he was the cause of all the commotion downstairs." Vita commented. "You should take him and leave, it doesn't matter where Jaylee is, she cannot be helped."

"What have you done to my daughter?" Jamie growled.

"I did nothing." Vita replied, a smug look on her face. 

As she said that a door opened and a man came out. "It is done." He announced.

"What have you done to my child!" Jamie squealed and pounced from her chair onto Vita. Although the vampires moved faster than he could see, Mathew raced from his place at the archway and tackled Vita's goon, who was too shocked by Jamie's actions to react quickly.

For a full ten minutes, punches, kicks and insults were thrown around the room. Mathew landed a heavy kick to Vita's thug's stomach and followed with a roundhouse kick to the back of the man's head. The man straightened, Mathew's heart skipped a beat, he'd landed his heaviest blows if that didn't fall the man he was sure that he was dead. To his relief the man toppled backward.

"The room! Go to the room!" Jamie shouted to Mathew, a snarling Vita made to go after him, Jamie grabbed the woman by her hair and neck and yanked her backward.

Again Mathew's heart jumped. Jaylee was lying limp on a bed. True he and Jaylee never got along but he didn't hate the woman and she could be dead. No, no she couldn't, she couldn't be dead because it would hurt Snowie too much. It would hurt Egypt and Sahara and Cupid and Mathew loved those children as much as his own son.

"Jamie, the hell?" Mathew nearly bounced right back through the door he'd stepped out of at the sight he met. "Are you feeding? We have to get out of here."

"No, I'm cutting his throat so it'll take him longer to heal. Get Jaylee out of here, I'm going to build me a bonfire." 

-23-

Blair Wainwright had been a police officer when she was human. Response to an armed robbery and twelve gun shot wounds later and she had been given a chance to live forever. Rules and their enforcement had been her life. Here she was probably having to make a decision that would go against everything she's known in both of her lifetimes.

"Officer Wainwright, how are you?" Jaylee greeted the cop after the show. She and Blair had been friends for a while. She always wondered how the girl had come to be a police officer. She pictured Blair more as a preschool teacher.

"Mayor Alto requests your company at her residence." 

Jaylee frowned, "Did she say why?"

Blair shook her head. "She did say it was important though."

"Tell Mayor Alto that she has to give me a reason before I can agree to a meeting."

Just then Jaylee's phone rang, Jaylee checked the caller ID and frowned in annoyance when she found that the number was blocked. "Hello?"

"Jaylee Winter."

"Vita."

"Has my message been delivered?"

"Yes, it has. I'm not coming Vita."

"You're not? But Mrs. Winter, it would be a shame if those three beautiful children have to grow up without their mother. I mean, things happen, you can go to jail or who knows, maybe you'll have an accident. Or they may just get taken away."

"Don't you dare threaten my children."

"I'm just giving you a heads up that's all. I'll see you in a half hour?"

"Sure, I'm on my way." Jaylee hung up the phone begrudgingly. Vita had left her alone for years, suddenly the woman was hounding her again and Jaylee knew the reason, she had developed a following of humans and vampires alike, her progress was a thorn in Vita's side.

Mathew had worked hard all day, and he loved his wife and son but he was in one of those moods where he wanted nothing more than to be alone with his bed and the pillows. He'd taken a steaming hot shower and changed into his most comfortable shorts. 

He nearly jumped out of those same shorts when the bedroom door flew open and Jamie rushed in.

"What in the hell...!" He said clutching at his chest.

"Get up now and get dressed. Blair just called me, said something about Jaylee heading to Vita's house."

"Well maybe they're just going to talk things over."

Jamie's eyes narrowed, "I'm sorry but you're not here to take up space Mathew and you've been freeloading for years now get up off your ass and get dressed."

Mathew sighed, his down time was fun while it lasted.

Jaylee was ushered inside the house nearly as soon as she'd arrived. Vita Alto's mansion was not what she thought, sure it was massive but it had a lot of space which was being poorly used. The mansion was immaculately decorated though.

Jaylee found Vita sitting behind her desk, the woman folded the laptop when Jaylee entered. "Ah, Mrs. Winter you're here." She adjusted her seating in a chair that was built for beauty rather than comfort. "Everyone deserves a second chance, do you agree Mrs. Winter?"

Jaylee answered her with silence. Vita frowned and continued. "Fine, let's play it your way, have a seat."

Jaylee dropped onto an alligator skin chair, Vita came around her desk. "Humans are afraid of things they cannot explain. The consumption of blood is taboo, living more than eighty years is considered a feat. In their minds we are not supposed to exist. Humans are shallow minded, their fear leads them to violence. The deaths of entire clans is nothing but a story for you, but I've been there, I've seen the carnage and I've felt the sting on loss."

"But it makes no sense to leave a town every time you've supposedly lived out your span. I'll assume you probably live in a town ten years tops?" Jaylee took a closer look at Vita, "I don't want to do that Vita, I don't want my children to have to do that. Egypt looks like my sister, Claus now looks like my father and people are starting to talk."

"Jaylee what you are looking at is starting a society, that means rules and regulations, a brand new government. Jaylee, I'm going to give you an ultimatum, you can either stop what you're doing on your own or I will have to make you stop."

"You're threatening me again now? I don't care Vita, I'm not stopping."

"Well then you're just going to have to stay here until I can figure out what to do with you."

It took a full minute for Jaylee to fully understand Vita's words, and another five minutes for her to realize that Vita was not joking. Jaylee jumped out of the chair and tried to run for the door, but Vita grabbed her arm and swung her back into the chair. Jaylee jumped up and aimed a punch at Vita, the older vampire stood by calmly. Jaylee was horrified when her entire body froze.

"Jaylee you are a baby, I have had centuries of living and mastering my gift."

Vita raised her arm and Jaylee's body flew into the air and hit the ceiling hard. Vita brought her arm down and Jaylee hit the floor.

Jaylee groaned loudly, then her body went limp. "Hmm, that was deliciously easy." Vita chuckled, she snapped her finger and a woman came into the room.  "Layla would you take our guest to her room. Eduardo knows what to do with her."

"Yes Ms. Alto."

-22-

Agnes had no idea what was going on with Egypt lately but everything seemed to send the girl off the handle. Cupid had been following her around the house, in classic toddler fashion, suddenly Egypt rounded on the child. 

"Egypt! Leave!" Agnes stood from her seat at the window, intervening before Egypt's mood swing reached it's peak and she began tossing things all over the house. 

Egypt left the house and Agnes summoned the younger Winters to the family area. "You two have got to leave your sister alone." Agnes told them, "I'm a bit worried that she'll hurt you."

Agnes voiced her concerns to Egypt's parents, Jaylee realized that it was time to do something about her fledgling daughter. This was the moment she had waited for, while her own mother sent her away, she would be the one to teach Egypt how to control herself. 

So far Egypt's cravings were being kept under control, Jaylee considered that progress. 

She taught Egypt how to channel her anger away from it's cause, being that the cause of her anger was usually one of her younger siblings.  Jaylee stood by patiently for hours while Egypt wreaked havoc on the training dummy. 

After Egypt had released her anger, Jaylee taught her eldest how to find calmness. It would be a while well before Egypt's blood lust was over, but Jaylee felt she was ready for whatever her daughter could throw at her.

-21-

Sahara competed with her sister relentlessly, but her parents drew the line at age appropriate things. Sahara was not at all happy that Egypt got to go places without their parents' supervision, and that the older girl got to stay up later than her.

In protest she moved into the tree house, but Claus quickly reigned that in vowing that he would not have another monkey daughter.

Egypt hardly spent any time at home. She needed a break from her younger siblings and the day to day craziness that came with living in the Winter house. She spent most of her time at the park, others who frequented the park knew the quiet, pretty blond by name, they were mostly old people but Egypt didn't mind.

Snowie had given her eldest niece her old car, Claus paid to have it upgraded, especially where safety was concerned. Egypt's parents had no problem with her coming and going as she pleased, as long as she told them where she was going and gave them an estimate of how long she would be there.

When Egypt wasn't in the park, she was at Jamie's house playing with her little cousin. The baby boy was nothing like her mischievous little brother. Sometimes she stayed at Jamie's so late that one of her parents would come looking for her.

"You have to give Mathew and Snowie their space, they've got a child to take care of, and although they'll never tell you this, your hovering bothers them sometimes."

"That's not true!" 

"You get angry when Sahara and Cupid crowd you right? It's the same concept." 

Cupid was having a hard time being in the nursery alone and he was letting anyone who would listen know. "I don't want to be in the nursery!" He whined to his father, "It's lonely...and scary."

"Q, I know you're not scared of the dark." Claus grinned. "Try again."

"It's just lonely then. Sahara and Egypt get their own rooms, why can't I have mine."

"You've got your own, it's called the nursery." 

Claus tickled Cupid, the little boy squealed with laughter. "You're not too big for the claw, so you're not too big for the nursery. But your crib is getting a bit cramped." Claus sighed, realizing that his kids were getting big and the house wasn't. There was one bed in Snowie's room, Egypt had taken that over and she and Sahara could not share a bed, no matter how wide the blanket was somebody would complain that they did not have enough. Simple solution, get rid of the current bed and get two single beds.

Claus still put aside at least one day a week that was completely devoted to his children. He knew them as well as he knew the back of his hand, which as their father he should. Sahara, although she looked as delicate as a lotus could make a hit from a pillow feel as painful as if one was hit with a ton of bricks, but it was clear that the girl was oblivious to her strength. 

She was also goofy and enjoyed making people laugh. She adored her father who would take time out from his very serious job of saving lives to pull funny faces with her. Although Sahara was older, she was still Claus' little Mama, she did all of the household chores and would even get upset when she came from school and met the living room swept and the dishes washed. The kitchen was Agnes' domain and although Sahara was told to stay away from the stove, she always watched her grandma cook.

Egypt was clearly not a child anymore and she never let her parents forget it, she constantly reminded them that she was a young lady. Claus was proud of Egypt, she was very mature and responsible for her age. She was usually the only one who could calm Cupid down when he was in one of his moods. Claus had no problem giving Egypt the freedom she wanted because he knew that she wouldn't get into any problems, her homework was always done and she had even joined a Study Group at school.

No matter how grown Egypt thought she was though, she was still her Daddy's little girl, she always showed him affection, kissing his cheeks or hugging him.

As far as her new found taste was concerned, Jamie confirmed that Egypt was in blood lust. With vampires still being society's best kept secret, plasma juice and plasma fruit were expensive and the Winters couldn't seem to keep enough in the house. It seemed that Egypt needed to feed every five minutes and like a drug addict she would become aggressive and anxious if she didn't.

Jaylee stood in the living room watching in amazement as Egypt consumed two boxes of plasma juice in a matter of seconds. She couldn't ask Claus to bring blood from he hospital, she didn't want to. Egypt was being brought up to be a 'vegetarian', and it was best if she never developed a taste for human or animal blood. 

Cupid's fifth birthday was in a few days, which meant that Jaylee would have more time on her hands and she could get back on track.

Snowie's room, which had become Egypt's room, and much to Egypt's displeasure, the girls' room, was made over. Not much different than it had originally been, this was so that neither of the girls could whine that the bedroom suited one sister better than the other.