Chris watched from the window as Allison drove up, only moments after his own father had. If he didn't know any better, he would've assumed his dad had planned it that way.

He watched through the blinds as they raced out of their individual cars toward each other, Gerard adjusting his jacket as he straightened up. He held out his arms for his only granddaughter as she grinned and jumped at him, wrapping him up in a tight hug.

"Grandpa," she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, sweetheart, I thought I'd surprise you. I'm not too late for dinner, am I?" he joked.

"Of course not," she said, a wide smile still on her face as she pulled back. "Come inside. I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too, sweetheart. Me too."

Chris shook his head at the thought of whatever unfortunate situation Allison wasn't privy to that had brought Gerard back to Beacon Hills years ahead of schedule, and he worried he was gearing up to drag her into it as well.

Of course, both Chris and Victoria would put a stop to it, he knew that, but it didn't make whatever he had planned any easier to deal with. Because Gerard Argent always had a plan, and bloodshed usually followed.

He made sure to greet him with just as much enthusiasm when he walked in, if only for Allison's sake, and Victoria, ever the faithful partner, knew what to do without Chris clueing her in on any of it.

He didn't know what he would've done without her, and she proved that every damn day.

By the time dinner was on the table and he was sitting down next to his dad, who had taken the head without asking, his nerves were completely shot. He was basically vibrating with anticipation, surprised his teeth weren't chattering and his hands weren't shaking.

"I can't believe what a lovely young woman you've grown into, Allison," Gerard commented as soon as Allison had scooted in her chair. "You're almost eighteen now, huh? Any idea what you're doing once you graduate?"

"Geez, Grandpa," Allison teased, "way to put me on the spot."

Everyone laughed lightheartedly, though Chris and Victoria weren't feeling that way in the least. Chris focused on putting green beans on his plate with careful, precise movements, waiting for Allison to answer.

When she didn't seem like she would, he decided he better step in.

"Come on, Dad. Allison's got plenty of time to decide what she wants to do," he argued. "Let's let her graduate high school first."

Gerard shrugged. "Well, I heard that you have to start applying to colleges before senior year even starts to get in on time. It's not like when you and I went to school."

"That might be true, Gerard," Victoria piped up, "but Allison can take a year off if she wants. There's nothing wrong with relaxing a bit after graduation. High school's a lot harder than it used to be. They even changed math."

Chris couldn't help but genuinely laugh at that one, remembering the hours they had all poured over her homework when Common Core was introduced. He'd never felt so dumb as he had trying to decipher a middle schooler's homework, but they had managed.

And it was memories exactly like that one that made him want to hang onto her just a little while longer. Once he told her all their secrets, she wouldn't be a little girl anymore. It was impossible. All your innocence evaporated when the responsibilities that came with being an Argent were unleashed.

"Well, math was never my strong suit," Gerard continued. "History was. What do you think of history, Allison?"

Chris fought not to roll his eyes at his dad's thinly veiled attempt at bringing up something that they had shielded Allison from her whole life. And something he had fought with his dad tooth and nail to keep away from his house.

"History's cool, I guess," she answered finally with a shrug.

Gerard smiled in a devious sort of way that he was famous for, and Chris' heart skipped a beat. "You guess? Well, perhaps I can give you a greater appreciation for history while I'm here," he promised.

Chris knew that was too far, and so did Gerard, but it was Victoria that gave a simple cough to bring the conversation back to something much more innocuous. And much less loaded. When Chris caught his dad's attention again, he held his hands up in a sort of mock surrender when Allison wasn't looking, signaling he would be on his best behavior.

Not that Chris believed it for a second.

But it's later when he can't avoid the conversation anymore and Allison had just said goodnight that Gerard rounded on Chris.

"How is it possible you two haven't mentioned anything to her about the family business yet? Do you not remember how young you were?"

"She's not eighteen yet, Dad," Chris answered in as bored of a voice as he could muster.

"Gerard, we want her to have the chance to be a child. So many people in families like ours don't get that chance," Victoria added.

"Yes, and a lot don't get a chance to grow up either," Gerard reported. "And being ill-equipped for this life sounds an awful lot like setting her up for failure. And what does failure mean, Chris?"

"You are not to tell her anything, Dad," Chris hissed. "We will tell her when she graduates. And not a second before that."

"Why do you think we've been encouraging her to take a year off? We'll tell her and then she'll have enough time to process everything."

"This is a dangerous game you two are playing and you know it. She lives in Beacon Hills now, for Christ's sake. There are werewolves here, and she knows nothing about them."

"It's just the Hales, Dad," Chris said with a roll of his eyes. "And we have a truce with them. Do you really think I've been leaving her unprotected? We moved back here because we have a truce."

"She has to be able to protect herself, son. You can't be there every single time she needs you," he insisted. "You have to tell her."

"When she's eighteen," Chris said firmly.

Gerard shook his head sadly. "You're not in charge anymore, son," he stated simply. "We'll tell her when I say. Because I'm staying."

Without another word, Gerard left both Chris and Victoria staring after him with their mouths open. He didn't need to look over to see she was as dumbfounded by his revelation as he was, and for the exact same reasons.

If he was here now, in this moment, they had all agreed to it. Not just Gerard. It went above his head. It involved their whole family line.

And they hadn't been included.

More than likely it had to do with their new worldviews on all matters concerning the supernatural, but that didn't make him feel any better right now. The Argents were mobilizing.

And that meant one thing. War.