“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Alaric said, dropping into his desk chair. 
Jo arched her eyebrows and crossed her arms. “Because you think I’ll hurt them.”
Alaric avoided her pointed look. “... not on purpose.”
“But because I’m a monster?” Jo’s face fell. “Or … because I’m their mother …” The way Alaric turned away from her told her she was right. “Because they’ll meet me, and they’ll get attached, and then when I inevitably have to go back to being dead … they’ll be heartbroken.”
“Yeah,” Alaric admitted quietly. He cleared his throat and stood up. “So, you’re confined to this office for now. Emma spelled it. I just … can’t have you wandering around.”
“Dad?”
Jo and Alaric both froze, heads turning to the closed doors.
Josie’s voice floated through the thin wood. “Why is the door locked?”
“That’s them?” Jo asked quietly, wide eyes turning to Alaric. “Can I please see them?”
“No, I -”
“Dad, we just need your signature!” Lizzie called, pressing an ear to the door. Her dad’s office was never locked, especially for them. 
Alaric covered Jo’s mouth with his hand to keep her quiet. “I’ll be there in a minute!  I’m wrapping your presents!” 
Josie caught his lie quickly, ears perking up. “You wrapped our presents weeks ago.”
“I got more!”
Lizzie and Josie exchanged a doubtful glance, silently pressing their hands to the door. They siphoned the school and blasted the doors open. Jo stood behind Alaric as the twins stepped in, eyes bouncing back and forth between the two of them wildly. 
“Who are you?” Lizzie demanded. “New teacher? New girlfriend? Because good luck. You’ll barely be in the Top 3. We -” She motioned between her and Josie. “- have Spot #1 and 2 already, and Hope -”
“No, Lizzie, look.” Josie cut her off, turning and grabbing a photo from her father’s bookshelf. “It’s our bio mom.” She shoved the photo under Lizzie’s nose.
“What? No, she’s dead.” Lizzie looked between the photo and the real thing, curling her lip back in a guarded sneer. “This is some cheap imitation.”
Josie turned and shrugged. “This is Mystic Falls.”