Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Nightmare Of The Dark Shadows (28 page)

“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 drifting 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.”