by L. A. A. Law
“What happened?”
“Her heart stopped. They revived her and Andrew is trying to convince her to allow them to place the monitors back on so that they can see what is going on, but she refuses to let anyone near her. She has always been so stubborn.” He sounds exasperated.
“Grant, while you’re waiting, could we speak a moment?”
“Sure. What’s on your mind?”
“I heard you speaking to Ken earlier and he is very concerned about you. You have so much to deal with in losing your family and now your home, you helped me so much, I wish that you would let me reciprocate and come back to Sanctuary with us. Your son, Jeff, would love to see you and would come up there with his family.”
“You spoke to him and he would come?” Surprise and hope ring in his voice.
“I didn’t speak with him, but Ken did. Jeff said he would come up with his family so that the two of you could spend some time together. He is worried about you.”
“Really?”
“He is looking forward to it in fact.”
“But Mia, my family, his family, that is too much to impose upon you. You are going to have enough to deal with when you get home with everything that happened.”
“It is not an imposition at all and we would love to have you. I know how bad things can get when you don’t feel as if you can talk to people about what happened to you and having to hide yourselves and your family’s nature while trying to settle in a place and dealing with the unbelievable loss that you have just suffered and suffered in the past, is too much for you to deal with now. Where our special families reside, you would not have to worry about hiding your nature.” I smile reassuringly. “We have more than enough room for you and your family. In fact, one of our families has recently moved out to help in the hospital in Rome that we have friends at. They were quite a large family and the house they occupied has five bedrooms. I think it would be a perfect place for you and your family.”
He shakes his head in disbelief before smiling widely. “If it wouldn’t be too much of an imposition, maybe we could meet you there. I’m sure that you are ready to go and my other children went back to pack up some things and speak with their uncle about shipping us the rest when we get settled.”
Reaching into my bag, I take out one of my cards. “Why don’t you call your children and give them this address so that he can ship your items there. Andrew still needs a few hours before we leave, so we can meet in the lobby and leave together.”
“Thank you for this.”
“Don’t give it a second thought. I’m just glad you are coming and for everything you did to help me.”
Andrew opens the door and appears very weary.
“How is Amelia?”
“She is alert, but she is still refusing to allow us to monitor her again or reinsert the intravenous. I would like to run more tests, but she categorically refuses. If she keeps refusing, the hospital cannot hold her.”
“I’ll speak with her. Excuse me.”
As Grant enters, I caress Andrew’s cheek. “You look exhausted.”
He chuckles. “You have known me long enough to know that we can’t get tired.”
Moving my hand to his, I pull him down the hall toward the reception area. “I know healing drains you and on top of the situation we faced, you really should relax a moment.”
“I can do that in about two hours when we are on the plane home. Reginald is just preparing the organs.”
Passing a door marked physicians’ lounge, I can see Jacob talking with Paul and Gabriel, so I turn Andrew around and duck inside for a moment. There is a small day bed in the corner. “Sit down and try to relax a few moments then.” Sitting on the back, I place my hands on his shoulders.
“Mia, I’m fine really.”
“Andrew, this has been a devastating few days with worrying for the children, coming to rescue me, and constructing a plan to fool Marlena.”
He interrupts me as I message his shoulders. “Mia, from where I stood, you were holding your own and didn’t need rescuing. You secured the release of our friends, got Jacob past his fears to come to me and brought down David.” He moves me swiftly from the back of the day bed into his arms and strokes my cheek before resting his fingertips at my temple. “I should be ensuring that you recover, not the other way around. Why didn’t you tell me what had happened to your sight? I thought we promised no secrets.”
“I wasn’t trying to keep secrets. Things were so confused already. I just wanted to give David a reason to stop. He was unstable and I panicked after I felt him throw Jacob across the room in that cage. What if I had waited and he smelled you? It could have been a disaster. I needed you here with your brothers thinking clearly because I knew that I wasn’t. I was just reacting to fear and hoping to buy us some time to avert disaster.” The unbidden tears slip from my rims.
Andrew brushes them softly away. “Your bravery got Jacob out and assured he was safe. He is here with us and we are going home to our family.” Cupping my face, he kisses me in a way that burns away all of my anxiety. His touch resonates to my core warming my heart. Drawing me into his chest, he holds me tightly as my pulse races wildly. I feel the relief and joy in his lips. I don’t hear Reginald enter. As Andrew shifts me next to him, I catch sight of Reginald’s devastated features. I can’t imagine what he must be experiencing realizing that his brother became the epitome of everything he has ever fought against.
His tone is devoid of any life and he refuses to meet our eyes. “I have finished preparing the body. We are ready whenever you are.” He turns to leave and Andrew is immediately at his side, placing his arm around Reginald, who still will not look up. “Andrew, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but if you don’t mind, I need to just get to the plane and will see everyone there.”
“When you’re ready to talk, don’t forget that we are all here for you.”
“I know. I just need some time.” He wriggles out from under Andrew’s arm and is gone instantly.
“Let’s go home.” Taking my hand, we walk to the lobby. Everyone is gathered there waiting, even Grant and his family. Jacob is still chatting happily with Paul as Grant approaches us.
“Andrew, I’m very sorry that Amelia gave you such difficulty here and I know what I am asking, after you have already been so generous is very imposing but Amelia asked if she may accompany us back to Sanctuary for a short visit. She has always been somewhat overprotective since I lost my first wife and is still suspicious about the recent turn of events. She just wants to ensure I am not getting my children in further turmoil.”
Andrew’s features turn very sympathetic as he places his hand on Grant’s shoulder. “It is no imposition at all. It may also give us an opportunity to monitor her and make sure everything is alright once she sees that there is no danger at Sanctuary. The only thing I would ask is that you request she stay silent regarding her suspicions if she enters the hospital area there. We have patients who, although they have experienced loss imposed from our surreal world, we do not confirm or fuel any of their suspicions.”
“I promise, I will watch her carefully and ensure that she does not cause any trouble. I just couldn’t deprive her of her request. She has been a second mother to my children and has always stayed in close touch with Jeff.”
“It is no imposition. Don’t even give it a second thought. Is everyone in your family ready to go?”
“Yes, your brother was kind enough to pack our things in one of your vehicles.”
Driving to the airport, Jacob’s eyes droop. I wonder if he slept in the last few days at all.
An hour into our flight everyone on the plane other than Andrew’s family, Reginald and I are fast asleep. After hanging up and allowing myself to enjoy the relief of hearing how strong Nicholas, Kayla and Nicole’s voices sound and how happy they are that we are heading home, I wonder how much longer I can fight my encroaching exhaustion.
Reginald rises and heads into the cargo hold. Despite my dri
fting toward unconsciousness and feeling secure in Andrew’s arms, I wrench myself up and follow him.
Grabbing my hand, Andrew’s voice is soft. “Mia, he needs some time and you should really try to rest, your body is still recovering from the loss of blood.”
“I will be right back, I promise.” Descending into the cargo hold, I hear Reginald’s voice. He is kneeling next to a now unzipped body bag, stroking his brother’s cheek.
“How could you have left me to become such a monster? If we had only stayed together, I would have helped you overcome whatever you were fighting. Why would you turn your back on humanity? You saw people’s potential, you believed anyone could be turned around and that good could conquer all. You saved me from my own destruction. I was so lost, but you fought for me, you showed me what I could accomplish, you made me believe in myself; believe in what good could be accomplished. Was all of it a lie? Who were you really?” I could see his facial features twist with pain.
Moving forward, I know he hears my approach. Placing my hand on his shoulder, I take a moment to think carefully about my words. “The brother you knew and loved was a wonderful and compassionate creature who died the day that you were ambushed. Reginald, the one who lies before you now is a stranger. You can’t think of him as Sebastian. What lies before you now is David, a creature of the darkness, something that you only recognize from the war, the very thing that you rescued me from all those years ago, nothing more.”
His eyes finally sweep up, meeting mine. “Mia, you don’t understand. My brother was always the one who was good. He always did the right thing, took the right path, and said the right words. When I was rebellious, finding trouble at every turn, ensuring my place with the darkness, although back in my human days, I did not realize what the darkness truly holds, it was Sebastian who fought to get me back on track. Our parents were wealthy and were too busy with their charitable works to even see the destruction their own son was causing, but Sebastian, as soon as he returned from school, recognized the signs. Despite my fighting against him, he was the one who turned my life around, gave me purpose. When we were converted, I was so angry over what this realm thrust upon us; I could have easily become David. It was Sebastian who made me realize that we could turn our lives around, despite our death. He was the one who convinced me to embrace our immortality for the good we could accomplish. After we were ambushed, every good deed I did was in his name, and in the memory of my sister. Seeing what he became and what he has done invalidates my entire existence, everything I thought I knew, I can’t see any longer. I never imagined someone as good as Sebastian could ever turn into something as sadistic and cruel as David. Is that what awaits me? Is there something inherent in us that turns us to become what he became. With the knowledge, connections, and information I have, my turning like my brother would impair our side for all eternity.” Desolation rips through his features.
“Reginald, stop! You can’t think that way. I know that you feel betrayed and as if your entire world has been thrown into turmoil, but that is not the future that awaits you. What lies before you now is not your brother. Sebastian died on the night you were ambushed. You were not wrong, your brother was destroyed that night and what emerged was never to touch your life, never to hinder your existence.”
“But Mia, if it was never to touch me, then why did our paths cross again. Every life that crosses our paths, I believe does so for a reason, a bigger purpose than sometimes even we are not aware of, but I believe our encounters are not random. I spent most of my existence convinced that although my brother was destroyed that night, that encounter cemented my path, set my course to ensure that those who desired to fight against the darkness never felt like they were on their own, helpless, and the way we had been that evening. My entire existence has been dedicated to it and now to find my own flesh and blood to be the epitome of the darkness that we had once fought so hard against makes me wonder if anything I did at all changes the scales.”
I grab his arms, turning his body away from David and facing me. “Of course what you have done changes things. You can’t invalidate everything you have done because of this creature’s actions. Just look at all the people you have helped on this plane alone and I don’t only mean tonight. What you do matters and what your brother did is on him, if that even is any part of your brother.” Although I’m shooting off the cuff and hoping that this makes sense to him, I am desperate to give Reginald something to hold on to knowing that he feels his world spinning out of control.
“Reginald, did you ever consider that the night you were ambushed, Sebastian really did die?”
Skepticism sparks, replacing the desolation, at least in his facial features, despite not leaving his eyes. “You see him here. Mia, you know what he was like. My God, he almost cost you your family.” His eyes close as his voice breaks. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that. I hope that one day you can forgive me for what he did to you.”
Moving my arms around him, I hug him tightly. “Stop right there. You didn’t do anything to my children, except protect them since before they were born. What happened to them now is not your fault and you cannot take it upon yourself for what David did. That is not Sebastian. That is not the loving soul you knew.” I retort loudly, pulling back and pointing at him. “That is a creature, a soulless receptacle taken by darkness. What you thought centuries ago about your brother being destroyed is exactly correct. You have no ties or affiliations with what lies there now. Sebastian died the day you saw him destroyed. You need to hold on to that.” Opening his mouth to object, I raise my hand to stop him. “I will make you a deal if you will consider what I am saying.” I see the disbelief immediately enter his features at the thought that I have anything that could take his mind off of what is before him, but he allows me to continue. “I will give you something else to think about. I know how much you love a mystery and how curious you are as to what happened between David and me to have possibly converted him back to his human form.” He raises and eyebrow. “I heard the curiosity in your voice when we were traveling back from the estate and know that you believe I have some sort of connection to the conversion. The answer may even be in my blood.” I joke, but can see curiosity beginning to ignite in his eyes at the possibility of unraveling such a mystery. “If you will keep an open mind as to what I said, you can have my blood to compare and begin your tests when we return to Sanctuary and I will answer all of your questions after I have some time to see how the children are doing.”
His eyes widen and I know that the idea of throwing himself into this mystery appeals to him. “Look Reginald, I know what I’m asking isn’t easy but you fought not to lose Andrew, his family and even me to the darkness. Now, I am going to fight for you and ensure that you don’t allow doubt about all the good you have done creep into your thoughts opening a window to let the darkness try to take hold of you. We need you, my children need you, and so do all of those who still hide in solitude, afraid of coming into contact with others.”
I back away slightly, still holding his hands. His eyes shift between me and David’s body. The curiosity which momentarily raged in his eyes is now dimming, replaced by doubt and fear. I refuse to lose him to such feelings. He will not be a casualty of this war nor a puppet to be mastered by the darkness. “Reginald, we desperately need you to continue your efforts. I need you now, more than I ever have, and not to just throw yourself into this mystery, but to help teach my children how to use their powers wisely and expertly. You know this experience has forever changed them and that Nicholas and Kayla may even be facing werewolf issues in their not too distant future.” The pain of what his brother did to them overtakes his features and I soften my voice. “Reginald, I did not say this to you to make you upset, I need you to help me right the wrong that he did to them and help my children feel empowered so that they can protect themselves with confidence as they travel into their unknown future.”
He always wanted to teach the children and I see the appeal of
righting some of the damage take hold. “Mia, I can’t promise you that this will not haunt me or that my mind will not wander to places of doubt, fear of what ifs, because things could have been different if I had only realized that he was not destroyed in that ambush and fought for him. However, I will promise you that I am going to stay at Sanctuary for a while to work through my own issues, this mystery, and help your children come into their own.”
I smile. “That’s all I can ask. I know it can’t be easy to look at him and move past what he did, but nothing he did is part of you. I’m very glad that you will be staying at Sanctuary and I want you to know that my door is always open to you whenever you want to talk.”
“I know that, but thank you for saying it again.”
“I love you. You are part of our family. I will give you a few moments, but please don’t stay down here alone too long.”
“I’ll be up momentarily.”
Ascending the stairs, I should have known Andrew would be waiting for me. Taking my hand, we return to our seats. “That was quite impressive. I could see his darkened aura get brighter as you spoke.”
Gabriel is sitting by us. “You should know, he is very intrigued by what you said concerning his brother, although he is fighting his curiosity on what you mentioned, I believe that if you are persistent with him on this and in concentrating on the mystery of what happened to allow David’s heart to beat once more, we may be able to hold on to him. Right now he is reeling, but his curiosity factor may save him.”
After all these years, I know when he is restraining not to say more. “What aren’t you telling me?”
He chuckles. “I thought I was the mind reader.”
“Your face is getting easier to read.”
He laughs. “Mia, it’s just that he is in a tumultuous place right now and even though we all know how much he loves the children, I heard you saying that you wanted him to help them learn about their powers and how to use them. Right now, that may not be the best thing.”