Alaric's Classroom: Damon enters and "apologizes" for being the last to arrive. When he sees the grim looks on Elena and Stefan's faces he wants to know what's wrong. Alaric: "I saw Isobel last night." As Damon takes this in, he looks at Elena and we cut to...

Swanky House; Exterior: Uncle John "Snark" Gilbert drives up to someone's fancy digs and walks right in. He follows the music until he finds Isobel lounging around watching her pets/personal exotic dancers. Since the mother and child reunion is only a motion away, Isobel is preparing, like you do, by watching enthralled jazz singer pet, Cherie, fooling around with enthralled cowboy pet, Frank (Michael Roark). Frank isn't just an enthralled cowboy, he's a big gay enthralled pet cowboy who Isobel has temporarily degayed. Uncle John "Snark" Gilbert is appalled! Who's he going to play with? Oh no, wait. He's appalled because he thinks vampires shouldn't treat people like dolls. Isobel: "If we're going to be partners, you really have to stop being such a hater." Druggies can be forgetful, so John reminds her they're partners working toward a specific, shared goal. "Don't ever confuse that for an acceptance of your lifestyle." What a prig. Izzy's still stoned out of her gourd, so the lifestyle comment makes her snort.

Sidebar: What the frilly heck is Isobel wearing around her neck? It's a necklace-scarf-boa-Christmas tree tinsel garland, not to mention bad taste incarnate, but it really brings out the three pounds of gold glitter eyeshadow-of-the-damned caked on her lids. Did Mia Kirshner run over the Wardrobe and Makeup people's puppies or something?

Isobel, who has been Lady MacBething her hands for the entire scene follows Snark across the room. "So, I assume that you still don't have the invention." Snark tells her he'll get it done. Izzy: "Uh, you threatened to expose Damon Salvatore; that didn't work. You killed that Pearl lady -- still no invention. I really don't think that your plan is working, John." Snark: "Well you being here isn't going to help anything." Stoned or not, Isobel will brook no insolence from a pasty faced guy wearing an old lady's wig set too far back on his head, so she bitch slaps him and knocks him to the ground. HOORAY! Isobel says, "You've failed, John. I'm gonna take it from here." She leaves Snark (and his bruised ego) sitting on the floor.