Adam came downstairs already annoyed, jaw locked like he was trying not to explode. He snatched his keys from the table, eyes refusing to land on Daphne even for a second.
"Hey, son… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that," Daphne said, voice soft, like she already expected him not to care.
"Don't bother." His tone was sharp enough to cut metal.
Adam came downstairs already annoyed, jaw locked like he was trying not to explode. He snatched his keys from the table, eyes refusing to land on Daphne even for a second.
"Hey, son… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that," Daphne said, voice soft, like she already expected him not to care.
"Don't bother." His tone was sharp enough to cut metal.
"At least eat breakfast before you leave," she tried again, almost begging.
"I'm not hungry."
"Where are you even going?"
"The hospital. Why?" he snapped.
"No reason. Just… take care," she muttered, giving a weak little wave.
Adam walked out without replying. Door slammed. Daphne sighed, rubbing her forehead like the day already defeated her. "And now he abandons work again. Perfect."
* * * * * *
At Dawn's place, the air had that heavy feeling, like the house already knew a fight was happening.
"After everything I warned you about, Leslie… you still snuck out at midnight," Dawn said. No yelling. Just disappointment. That one hurts more.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"But you did." Dawn cut her off, eyes hard.
Tara stepped forward like she was the innocent angel of the story. "I didn't want to cause a fight, but I thought you deserved honesty, Dawn. I'm only trying to help."
"I know what you're doing," Leslie snapped, staring at her like she could burn her alive just by looking.
"Enough," Dawn said. "Thank you for telling me, Tara."
"You're welcome." Tara left with that fake humble smile, acting like she wasn't the one setting fires everywhere.
The second she was gone, Leslie turned back, panic and anger mixed. "Dawn, she's trying to ruin us. You have to believe me."
"When exactly were you planning to tell me? After all we've survived together, you're still sneaking out and keeping secrets?" Dawn asked, voice breaking more than raising.
"I said I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
"Bet. You're grounded for a week."
"Come on, I'm literally your favorite," Leslie tried to lighten the mood.
"Two weeks. And no, you're not my favorite," Dawn said, walking away.
Leslie flopped onto the couch like life betrayed her. Jason dropped beside her, grinning.
"This is tragic… but also, in your face."
"I don't want a twin anymore. Someone adopt him."
"Sorry, already bonded to you by trauma. No returns."
They both laughed a little, then the serious tone slipped back in.
"Tara knew everything we planned. She overheard us somehow," Leslie said.
"That's the only way," Jason agreed.
"She set up Alex, now she's turning Dawn against me. But she doesn't know I'm the hunter, not the hunted." Leslie stood like she was in a movie trailer.
"Relax, Sherlock. No cameras are rolling," Jason replied.
"I was born for law enforcement. I feel it."
"You feel delusion." He walked away.
"I wanna be a cop!" she yelled dramatically before walking behind him.
* * * * * *
At the pizzeria, Alex was wiping a table when Tara walked in like she owned oxygen. Alex grabbed her wrist, grip tight enough to show she was done being polite.
"What are you up to?" she hissed.
"You're harassing a paying customer. Do you want to lose your job?" Tara said, calm like this was her playground.
"You borrowed my phone, and magically Dawn gets a fake message. You planned it."
"You could say that." Tara smirked like she enjoyed being hated.
"Don't act innocent. You even sent your mom after me."
"Your words. Not mine. Anyway, I'll have a coffee."
Alex brought it back, shoved the cup like it was poison. "Choke on it."
"Thank you." Tara smiled, started walking away, then paused.
"Oh, and delete the recording. It won't save you. Not enough evidence."
Alex froze. Blood felt cold. She thought she hid the recorder well. Tara knew. Tara always knew.
* * * * * *
Later, Dawn grabbed her bag, keys in hand. "Daphne wants to see me. Nobody leaves this house until I'm back." She stared at Leslie especially.
"Then just take us with you," Leslie said.
"No."
"You can keep an eye on us. Everybody wins."
Dawn exhaled like Leslie was a walking headache. "Do you sleep with a lucky charm under your pillow or something?"
"Sadly, no."
"Sadly?" Dawn repeated, offended by the word. "Fine. Let's go."
* * * * * *
At the Manchester's house Daphne was finishing a call, pacing a little like she was already planning ten things at once. The moment she saw Dawn and her siblings at the door, she just spread her arms wide like she'd been waiting forever.
"Welcome, dearies," Daphne said, pulling them into hugs one after the other. Not tight hugs, just that kind of hug people give when they're trying to look warm but still thinking about ten other things.
"I have a question," Leslie said.
"Swallow it," Dawn snapped.
"Let her speak," Daphne laughed.
"Why don't you have a butler or chef? You're rich."
Daphne laughed again. "Because I promised myself I'd never let money make me useless. Just because you can pay for things doesn't mean you should sit and rot."
The kids stared at her like she was a billionaire motivational speaker.
"I'm going to see Adam," Amy said.
"You always go to him and not me," Jason complained.
"He's handsome," Amy replied, then ran off.
"She meant it," Leslie added, already chasing her.
Jason groaned. "They hate me."
"Then go hate them back upstairs," Dawn said.
"I'll just—yeah. Bye." Jason disappeared.
"You live with that all day?" Daphne laughed.
"They're chaos, but they're mine," Dawn replied softly.
Then Daphne's smile faded. She leaned closer. "I need to tell you what happened yesterday. Adam… he's lonely again."
* * * * * *
Upstairs, Adam was with the kids, pretending everything was fine. They made him laugh. He needed that.
"You two should protect each other," he said.
"I like getting her in trouble," Jason said proudly.
"That's called being psychotic," Leslie replied.
"But we haven't seen you lately," Amy said, voice small. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he lied.
"My mom said we shouldn't bother you anymore, so I won't ask anything else."
"Your mom?" Adam frowned.
"Dawn. She raised me. So, she's my mom," Amy said with a smile.
They talked more, mostly about Dawn, until Adam finally asked, "And Tara?"
"You mean the witch? The snake? The vampire?" Leslie said instantly.
"I don't know her," Amy said, "but Leslie says she's bad."
"She is. She's building evil in silence," Leslie added like she was narrating a crime documentary.
"She's just mad because she's grounded," Jason said, and they all laughed.
But Adam didn't. His head was already somewhere else.
Thinking of Tara's words. Thinking of Dawn. Thinking of Ava.
And how everything was starting to slip.