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With the arrival of Margaret and Tully Alford, the Addams' and Cleopatra settled at the circular table ready to begin. The flash of lightning followed by the echo of thunder added to the night's ambience, rain falling like bullets; a perfect evening got a Séance. Cleopatra had settled into the chair between Morticia and Wednesday as the Alfords settled in for the event they had never witnessed before nor truly believed in. Cleopatra still felt the tension in her chest from her encounter with Wednesday earlier that night, she had to stop Wednesday when he attempted to behead Pugsley for his actions; the younger Addams was currently dealing with a healing cut from the knife.

Lurch sat at the organ, and crashing chords began to play as Morticia chanted, "Sing, O spirits! Harken, all souls! Every year on this date, we offer a clarion call to Fester Addams." Cleopatra watched in awe as a small wisp of darkness swirled around the candles in the middle of the table, the Alfords looked fearful of the strange magic they didn't often witness. "Stop it," Wednesday warned darkly, his tone raspy as he barely glanced at Pugsley, the boy holding a meat cleaver in hand aimed at his older brother hoping for revenge for the healing wound. "Pugsley..." Gomez scolded playfully, holding his hand out for the weapon; the boy reluctantly handed it over.

"Kids. . ." Gomez said bemused towards Tully who looked confused and slightly terrified, Margaret wasn't any better. "From generations to generations, our beacon to the beyond," Morticia raised the Raven before passing it to her eldest son, "Do you accept the glorious burden?" Wednesday took the Raven willingly, his usual dark eyes seemed to darken as power formed around his hands, tainting his pale fingers with the presence of Addams' power. "May it weigh me down through all my melancholy years," Wednesday replied to his mother, he had a subtle smirk on his face as Cleopatra watched in pure awe and adoration of his magic.

"All close eyes and join hands," Morticia instructed, she grasped one of Cleopatra's hands in her own while holding Gomez' in her other. Cleopatra placed her open palm down on the table for Wednesday, he was quick and eager to interlock their fingers, relishing the feeling of her warm hands within his cold ones. "Ow! What a grip!" Grandmama Frump exclaimed as she 'took' Margaret's hand in her own, however, she pulled away from Margaret leaving her 'hand' behind; her sleeve empty. "My hand! She's got my hand!" Grandmama Frump exclaimed causing Margaret to shriek as she realised that Thing was locked onto her hand.

Pugsley and Cleopatra don't hide their laughter, the two share an amused expression while Wednesday is more focused on the laughing girl next to him. Her laugh was the most beautiful sound he had heard aside from just her voice, the soft presence of it didn't irritate him; no, he wished to hear it more and more. Margaret tries her best to shake Thing from her hand but he holds on tightly causing Grandmama Frump to cackle, Morticia and Gomez watch in amusement as the woman is finally released prompting her to try and escape them all only for Tully to force his wife back into her seat.

"Mama, you should know better," Morticia affectionally scolded her mother, the older woman grinning like a mischievous cat. "Thing, you're a handful," Morticia follows up causing Thing to rush off allowing Margaret a chance to relax, though she stays as stiff as a corpse. Still chuckling, Grandmama Frump takes hold of Margaret's now-rigid hand with her real hand, Margaret shudders. With a last look around the table to ensure that everyone has settled down, Morticia resumes the Séance. "Wednesday..." Morticia calls to her eldest son to continue for them. "Let us ransom you from the power of the grave. Tonight, O Death, let us be your plague," Wednesday chants monotonously, the words echoed delightfully through Cleopatra's ears.

"Mama..." Morticia calls to her mother who continues, "I feel that he's near. . . Fester Addams, gather your strength and knock three times." The room fell silent at those words awaiting something, Tully seemed more eager than most. Wednesday squeezed Cleopatra's hand affectionally as three loud knocks echoed through the home, the initial knock had startled the girl. Grandmama Frump's eyes opened as she exclaimed, "Did you hear that?!" Morticia leaned forward in intrigue as she spoke, "Ask again, Mama. Quickly!" Lurch's organ music perfectly underscores and punctuates the moment for the group.

"Fester Addams - I demand that you knock again!" Grandmama Frump demanded out again followed by another three knocks, louder than the three before. The knocking reverberates through the room. Jubilant, Gomez springs to his feet, "He's at the door!" He runs through the house with Thing just ahead of him, everyone else lets go of each other's hands except for Wednesday and Cleopatra. The others soon jump up and follow the two towards the front door, Gomez eagerly pulls open the front door. There on the front steps stands who they believe to be Fester from the beyond.

Gomez and Fester stare at one another in longing silence, the latter's eyes have a hard, I-dare-you-to-question-me stare in them while the former's eyes appear misty in affection. "Could it be?" Morticia questions, her eyes narrow as she tries to read the man before her. "Is that him?" Grandmama Frump asked, she believed it to be based on how he looked the same as he did when he left all those years ago. "Fester!" Gomez suddenly exclaimed breaking the stare-off. "Gomez!" Fester exclaims in response though his seemed more uncertain. Gomez throws his arms open and smothers Fester in a tight affectionate embrace, Fester is more hesitant to the embrace; not used to such delicate touch.

"Gut evenink. I am Dr. Pinder-Schloss," A woman spoke from behind Fester, she wore a plain, dowdy suit with her auburn hair in braided coils; though her voice was a mocked attempt of a German accent. Immediately, alarm bells rang wildly throughout Cleopatra's mind as she looked at the woman standing there. Her entire presence screamed trouble in a non-fun way, she was certain that whatever her intentions, it wouldn't end well for any of them. Wednesday glanced at Cleopatra, he took immediate notice of her distrust blazing in her blue eyes; if his girl couldn't trust the woman, then he definitely would not trust her.

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The Addams family and their guests stepped into the drawing room of the home. Fester stands by the tall, baronial fireplace where an enormous fire burns; he watches the others with shining black ferret eyes, calculating. Pugsley stands nearby, beside Fester's steamer truck, studying the exotic details; this was absolute paradise for the boy who looked up to Fester greatly. Margaret and Tully sat on one couch together, the woman uncertain about the doctor's presence while Gomez and Morticia sat on another couch together. Wednesday had sat down on the lone armchair, he had pulled Cleopatra to sit on his lap; a common position for the best friends but after their moment earlier, it felt different to Cleopatra, but a good different.

"How did zis happen? How did it come to be? Ze story - it is most amazink, and also beautiful," Dr Pinder-Schloss began with her horrid accent, "He vas found in Miami, tangled in ze tuna net! It vas just last month, during ze Hurricane Helga. Ze sky, it vas black like pitch. Ze vaves, zay vere valls of doom. Can you imagine? Zen - zey drag him from ze ocean, from ze very jaws of oblivion. I'm tellink you! Zere are tests, so many tests, and a complete psychological profile. At long last, ze Florida Department of Fish unt ze Game, ze say, low unt beholdt, my oh my, go tell it on ze mountaintop - he is. . . your bruzzer! Boom! Zey gif him to me, at Human Services, and I am bringink him, after all zese years, after who knows vat heartache, after ze naked unt ze dead, I am bringink him home to you!"

Gomez hung onto every single word that left Dr Pinder-Schloss's mouth, Morticia had narrowed her eyes at the explanation; her uncertain expression hidden behind her usual stoic mask that she carried with grace. Tully appeared amused while Margaret was completely baffled by the story. Cleopatra had melted in closer to Wednesday, her hand grasping his own, resting on her thigh as she felt weighted down by the strange woman's presence; her magic threatening to slip free and Wednesday was the only anchor preventing it. Wednesday could feel the worry seeping from his girl, he tightened his hold on her hip while squeezing her hand; he wouldn't let any harm come to her, he'd die before that happened.

"That's preposterous!" Margaret exclaimed in pure disbelief. "Margaret. . ." Tully scolded softly, he didn't need her interrupting this moment with her cautious distrust, he nudged her in the ribs to silence her. "But don't you think that's absurd?" Margaret questioned her husband, she couldn't believe the man was falling for the stupid story. "Honey. . ." Tully breathed out, it was clear that he was holding in any suspicious anger towards the woman he married. "Isn't that the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard?" Margaret asked the others, her eyes locked with the Hayden daughter and was relieved to see that the young girl agreed with her; Cleopatra nodded with her. "Blossom. . ." Tully spoke through gritted teeth.

"It certainly is," Gomez stated though his tone sounded happy rather than suspicious, he slapped Fester affectionately as he added, "And now you're back." Cleopatra noticed that Fester seemed uncomfortable by the affection that Gomez continued to show him, it confused her greatly as every story she had heard from Gomez claimed that Fester was one of the most affectionate people they knew; hugs were his greatest joy other than torment. "Back to share your joys, back to share your sorrows, back to share - well, hey - everything!" Tully eagerly exclaimed, his joyful expression only caused more suspicion in Cleopatra and Wednesday; both of which shared a glance realising that something was off with this.

"Well, I just don't know. . ." Margaret breathed out, her mind seemed to be the only rational one in this moment. Dr Pinder-Schloss sent Tully a look and the man was quick to distract his wife who was planting seeds of doubt in the story, "Darling, how does this work again?" Tully hands Margaret the finger trap to distract her. "An infant would understand," Margaret snapped at him, she demonstrated how the finger trap works only to realise that she had trapped herself once again. "Fester Addams - home at long last," Morticia spoke in her usual graceful monotone voice, however, her narrowed eyes left Fester feeling uneased at the clear distrust that swirled like a storm; he had to prove himself greatly.

"Well, at least. . . for a week," Fester expressed, trying to ignore the stare that was directed at him from the Matriach of the Addams family. "A week?" Morticia questioned with a perfectly shaped brow. "Don't be ridiculous! You're home!" Gomez exclaimed joyfully to his older brother, he didn't wish for him to leave again. "Sorry, but I have to get back. I've got a lot of things cooking - in the Bermuda Triangle," Fester informed them. "Oh, Gomez. The Bermuda Triangle..." Morticia spoke, aglow with romance as she gazed fondly at her husband. "Devil's Island," Gomez replied with awe. "The Black Hole of Calcutta," Morticia responded dreamily, the two moving in closer to each other as Gomez kissed up Morticia's arm affectionately.

"Excuse us," Gomez expressed to Dr Pinder-Schloss as Morticia added, "Second honeymoon." Cleopatra smiled fondly at the loving husband and wife, she always admired the romance between them because it never wavered. Wednesday, however, had his dark eyes focused on the girl in his lap, he knew she desired a love like their respective parents; he would make sure it happened, whether it be him or another that earned her heart - preferably it be him. At the steamer trunk, Pugsley is disintegrating the lock with a beakerful of acid given to him by Cleopatra's older brother, Jasper and an eyedropper. "Dr Pinder-Schloss, will you be staying too?" Morticia asked the woman, her calculating gaze taking in the family.

"No, no, I really must be going. But I vill be back, you can bet. To be checking on Fester's adjustment," Dr Pinder-Schloss expressed before narrowing her eyes on Cleopatra, the brunette stared back with a blank gaze that uneased the older woman. The acid has eaten away the lock on Fester's trunk allowing Pugsley to open the trunk a crack, he fishes among the contents, his arm inside up to the shoulder. Something snaps loudly, Pugsley grins and then pulls his arm free to reveal his hand crushed in a rusty, ferocious-looking bear trap. "Cool," Pugsley expresses as everyone looks towards the boy, Wednesday suspicious while Fester is wide-eyed; Gomez and Morticia look at their youngest with fond expressions.

Cleopatra laughed softly to herself as she got up from Wednesday's lap, the boy pouted at the loss of her warmth watching in irritation as she approached Pugsley, using her magic to free him of the trap. They watched as Cleopatra lightly brushed her fingers across Pugsley's own, the deep cuts that had been there slowly faded allowing him to flex his fingers once again. The Alfords, Fester and Dr Pinder-Schloss watched in unexpected awe of the magic that they had never witnessed before. Pugsley smiled as he hugged the brunette seventeen-year-old in gratitude, though he enjoyed the pain, he didn't like when Grandmama Frump was the one healing the wounds; so Cleopatra's magic was always preferred.

"Nobody gets out of the Bermuda Triangle. Not even for a vacation, everyone knows that," Wednesday challenged Fester, his distrust flowed greatly noticing the woman's interest in Cleopatra's show of magic; it uneased him. "Oh, my little vun. Zere is zo much you do not understandt. Ze human spirit - it is - a hard tink to kill," Dr Pinder-Schloss expressed in faux fondness, Cleopatra furrowed her brows knowing that if anyone knew about the Bermuda Triangle, it would be Wednesday Addams who was beyond obsessed with the place. "Even with a chainsaw," Grandmama Frump spoke up with a mischievous smile on her face. Wednesday stood from his seat, sending one last glare at Fester before grasping Cleopatra's hand and pulling her along with him.

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Rosemary Speaks. . .

Finally managed some motivation to write. Also, ya girl finally has a brand new laptop so no more typing on my phone which means typing quicker than what I could on my phone screen.

Anywho, how are you liking this book so far?

Poor Wednesday just wants to make Cleopatra his, will she realise that?

Thoughts, Suggestions or Questions

See you in the next chapter!