FATE
He was casually playing there, without a second thought as to his location. It was an unusual place for a boy to play, but he did not seem to care. He didn't have any toys as a normal child would. Merely a stick and a pile of rocks he was using for a makeshift bat and ball. "It's a high fly to right field!" the boy cried out running around the tombstones touching each one as though they were bases. Finally he stopped right where he had begun. "It's a homerun, and the crowd is going wild. The Cardinals have won the world series!" The sound of mock cheering came from the boy.
In the midst of his cheering the boy stopped and turned around abruptly. "You know it's not polite to sneak up on people." he said flatly startling a man in his thirties as he had approached. His blue eyes were bright with amusement as his face formed a broad grin.
"My apologies. I did not wish to interrupt" The dark haired man said looking over his shoulder to where the rock had landed a good distance away. "That was a fine hit." He added before turning to face the boy once more. "Why are you playing in a cemetery?" he inquired, his head tilted to one side, brown eyes full of curiosity and wonder at the blond in front of him.
"Mum says I'm not to talk to strangers." the boy answered brightly. His voice was accented with a rich English accent, it was obvious the boy wasn't from around here.
"You spoke to me first." the man shot back flatly.
"You were sneaking." the boy quipped in return.
"I was merely walking quietly." the man retorted.
"Not quietly enough. I heard you a mile away." he said flatly reaching down to pick up his stick.
The man's head tilted a bit in a mix of either confusion or doubt. "Did you now?" he inquired straightening his head once more. "I suppose I ought to work on my stealth then shouldn't I." he teased with a small smirk gracing his handsome features.
"S'pose you're right. Still, shouldn't talk to you. Mum'd be cross." he said before gathering up his rocks and stuffing them into the pockets of his baggy cargo pants. "Should go now." he said calmly before grabbing a small bag from the base of a statue. He slid it over his shoulder and darted off between the high tombstones, leaving the man behind to watch him disappear.
"Where have you been? I've been searching for you son." came the accented voice of a woman.
"I was playing at the small tombstones. Met an odd man there, but didn't stay long, promise." he said setting the bag down onto the floor and flopping down onto a makeshift chair. "I was playing. Is supper ready?" he asked, his head tilted to one side.
His mother nodded and handed him a couple of sandwiches that the boy took gratefully before stuffing his face. "S'all I have but it's something at least." she said, her tone apologetic.
"S'fine." He mumbled, his words muffled by the food in his mouth.
"Don't speak with your mouth full son it's rude." she said before taking a few bites of her own sandwich glancing around the tomb they had come to call home the past few days.
He was out there once more, making a small hut out of some sticks that he had gathered. He stopped abruptly looking up from the ground where he was sitting. He turned so that he was on his knees and peered over the tombstone he had been sitting against, his eyes narrowing at the man approaching the area. He stilled his breathing, taking in quieter breaths large enough to keep his heart rate normal.
The man was standing by a mausoleum, hands in the pockets of his slacks casually glancing around as though waiting for someone. It was then that a lighter haired man approached him and he nodded in greeting. The boy watched them curiously, their mouths moving to form words that he couldn't quite make out. The blond man turned and made his way off in the direction he had come from, leaving the dark haired man alone once more.
The lone man turned his head towards where the boy was watching from, and his head ducked back down behind the tombstone quickly. His breathing still steady as well as his heart rate. Had the man seen him? Had he heard him? No, that was impossible. He shook his head and waited listening for the man's approach if it were to come. Then he heard the sound of footsteps not far off and froze just a fraction of a second before bolting to his feet and tearing off down the worn path.
"Wait!" the man called out but the boy turned a corner and was out of site.
He stopped abruptly however when his path was blocked by the blond that had been with the man previously. "Hello there. What's got you in such a hurry lad?" the man asked tilting his head curiously, his blue eyes twinkling a bit in amusement. Blue eyes, not much different from the boy's.
"Nothing." the boy lied flatly as though it were the truth. His heart rate miraculously still normal.
"I see. Just out for a run in Lafayette cemetery then?" the man asked.
"Yes. I like to play here. It's quiet." the boy answered nonchalantly as though this also, were the truth.
"Ah well, don't let me interrupt then. Carry on boy." the man said stepping off to one side, gesturing with his hand to let him pass.
"Thank you sir." The boy said with a polite smile and darted off down the path.
"Mum. I think we should move somewhere else. That man I saw yesterday was here again, this time with another and the other saw me this time. I lied to him, told him I was just playing here but I was running from the dark haired man. We should go before they find us." the boy said rapidly as he entered their mausoleum home.
"Where do you propose we go Nicolas? We haven't any money and we've yet to find your grandfather." his mother said sharply.
"I don' know. A shelter, a bridge anywhere but here. I think.." He started glancing around as if expecting someone to hear him. "I think they may be vampires." he whispered watching her, eyes now widened.
"Yes well even if they are, they can't hurt you. Nor can they compel you. Now, eat your supper before your crust gets rock hard." she said offering him a reassuring smile.
"Yes ma'am." Nicolas said before picking up an already semi-crunchy sandwich and taking a bite of it.
He was more careful this time, peering around corner after corner as he made his way through the cemetery. His mother's words ringing through his ears every time he stepped around a corner. 'They can't hurt you, and they can't compel you either.' he had known this already, but meeting any strange vampires in New Orleans was dangerous. If they found out about him and his mother, they'd report them to Marcel, and then what. They may not have been natives to the city, but they knew enough about it to know that it was run by a vicious ruthless vampire that kept all the magic users in check.
The boy stopped his musings freezing in place. His back pressed against a mausoleum wall listening intently. "You saw him, and you didn't think he was the one I was searching for?" came the familiar sound of the dark haired man's voice.
"He said he was playing, that he wasn't running from anything. You saw the boy?" returned the voice of the blond man he had nearly ran into the other day.
"And you believed him?" asked dark haired suit man.
"He seemed to be telling the truth. Seemed quite certain of his answers. So, I doubt it was the same boy, unless he's a ten year old pathological liar with a talent for lying to vampires." the blond retorted sarcastically.
'I'm eleven.' the boy thought with a slight frown.
"Did you stop to think that maybe that had been the case. How did we not hear him before?" Suit man inquired.
"If he were just playing perhaps his heart rate was too normal for us to hear from a distance." the blond answered.
'I knew it. Vampires.' the boy thought to himself.
He didn't dare move, not with them standing so closely, not now that he knew what they were. He remained as still and quiet and calm as possible, knowing that his stealth may stop any trouble from happening.
"What does it matter anyway? It was just a boy playing in a cemetery." Blondie asked and started to walk further from the boy's hiding place. "Are you coming or not?" he asked.
"Not. I think I am going to poke around a bit more. I am, rather curious." he said.
'Bloody hell.' Nicolas thought to himself, still unmoving from his spot.
"Fine. I'll see you later then." Blondie said before he was gone in a flash.
Nicolas's eyes closed as he strained his ears to hear what suit man was doing. He could hear his footsteps, sense him approaching and inched quietly along the mausoleum further towards the back before reaching the end. 'One, two, three, go!' He thought to himself before shooting off in a burst of speed back towards the back of the cemetery where his mother was hidden from site.
"Mum mum! I was right. I heard them, and they were talking about me. The, one in the suit, he was asking about me.. We need to go.. If we're caught. There'll be no hope of finding grandpa." he said frantically.
"Fine Nicolas. But I've still no clue where we're…" she stopped suddenly hearing the sound of scraping stone against stone above them.
Nicolas looked up, falling silent before quickly putting out the single candle that lit the tomb below. They both sat in the dark silence, listening to the sound of shoes on the tiles above them. His mother clutching him to her chest now, both still, silent, calm. The footsteps made a circular pattern before leaving the mausoleum above, however they remained still, as an extra precaution for moments longer.
Time ticked away slowly before they moved again, having been still as statues before. They quickly gathered up their things, stuffing them into the two bags they owned, including the half burned candle, and made their way up the darkened stairs, pushing aside the heavy slab that had kept them hidden from suit man.
It was dark now, but lightly lit by the semi full moon in the Louisiana night sky. Crickets were chirping loudly not far off as they emerged from the mausoleum doors. Both heads darting from one side to the other, two heads, in separate contrast from one another, one blond, one brunette, both, looking worried.
They shot out of the shadows of the mausoleum doors and made their way down the worn path towards the gates of the cemetery. Off in the distance the sounds of the city could be heard loudly. The gate creaked eerily as they pushed it open.
"So, you like to play in the cemetery do you? It appears to me as though you were living there." came the voice of suit man from the shadows as his footsteps echoed off of the sidewalk.
"What does it matter. Leave us alone." the mother snapped back, not even sounding frightened at the man's sudden appearance.
"You must be the boy's mother. Odd place for a family." Suit man retorted.
"Mind your own won't you." She snapped before placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and leading him in the opposite direction.
"Very well then. My apologies." Suit man responded to her retreating back.
"What is with vampires and their curiosity." the boy's mother muttered once they were out of hearing range of Suit man.
"Dunno. Maybe they were curious before they were turned so it was amplified." he said with a shrug. "Mum. You don' suppose my dad is here do you?" he asked as he picked up his pace to keep up with her, adjusting his bag on his shoulder.
"I doubt it. Why do you ask that?" she said looking over at him.
"I dunno." Nicolas said with a shrug looking off as if expecting someone to appear. "Wishful thinking an all." he said softly.
"It's a large world son, the likelihood of him being here is rather slim. Now, help me find a place to settle for the night." she said placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes ma'am." he said softly in return.
The scream woke him with a start in the middle of the night and he sat bolt upright looking around for it's source. His mother sat beside him, doing the same before pulling him to her in a tight embrace. They remained still, holding onto one another in the darkness of the bridge that they had made camp underneath. Minutes passed and the night grew quiet and still, no sign of what had caused the scream, but they knew what it was. Vampires were near.
Nicolas looked up into his mother's dark eyes with an apologetic look on his face. They said without speaking, 'I'm sorry.' she offered him a reassuring smile before kissing his brow and laying back down to rest for the remainder of the evening, hidden from the night air only by a blanket, and an arched bridge above.
"That does not seem too comfortable of a place to sleep." was what woke Nicolas and his mother the next morning as opposed to the sun now high in the sky. They were accustomed to sleeping outdoors after all. They both sat up with a start, her hugging the boy tightly to her in a protective manner.
"What do you want." she said flatly shooting a glare in Suit Man's direction.
"Nothing. Simply to offer my assistance." Suit man answered sincerely.
"I don't, want, your help." mother bear answered with a snap to her voice, and a tone of finality.
"Why not?" Suit man asked, leaning against the wall of the bridge casually, his hands stuffed deep inside his pockets.
"I don't know you, I don't, trust you." she said eyes narrowing, watching his every move, even though he was rather still at the moment.
"My name is Elijah. I simply want to help you. The streets are no place for a child and a young woman." Suit man responded calmly.
At the mention of the man's name, mama bear's lips pressed together to form a tight line, other than that, she made no other gesture in response to it. "Well, Elijah. I still don't know you, and I'm nearly 30 I can take care of myself, and my son. Now, do go away."
Elijah's eyes darted down to the boy who was staring up at him, his blue eyes narrowed into small slights as he watched the man in front of him. Elijah's head tilted ever so slightly to the side as he regarded the boy in curiosity. "What's your name son?" Elijah asked, now disregarding the mother who was holding the boy.
"None of your concern, now do leave Elijah, please. We don't want any hand outs or well wishers, or sympathy from strangers." mama bear snapped, her voice full of agitation.
"Go away." Nicolas repeated glaring over at the man now. "and don't, call me son. I'm not your son…" he spat out at the man his mouth now taught as his glare grew more profound.
Elijah let out a soft sigh before pushing himself off of the wall, he squat down so that he was now eye level with the boy and his mother, "I simply, wish to offer you a warm bed and a hot meal, just for one night. I give you my word, I will not harm either of you. Please, let me help you." his eyes were full of both concern and sincerity as he silently continued his plea to the mother and child.
"No. Thank. You." mama bear nearly growled the answer still clinging tightly to her baby boy. "We have food and plenty of blankets, now please, leave us."
"Please. I only wish to help." Elijah pleaded with her.
"Thank you, but no thank you. We're fine, just as we are, now go." she said her glare increasing at each passing moment.
"I would, however my conscience would not allow me to leave you and the boy here like this. I beg you, just, one evening, and I will leave you be. I only want to be sure you get a proper meal, and a decent night's sleep." Elijah insisted, the pleading in his eyes giving him a near puppy dog appearance.
Mama bear forced herself to look away from the pleading brown eyes and down at her son. "Please, just leave." she said softly.
"I'm sorry, however my mind is set. Please. Come with me." Elijah said, his voice softening to a near whisper.
Mama bear let out a sigh of frustration. "Fine. One night, but I'm not giving you mine or my son's names." she said exasperated as she got up gathering up her things with help from Nicolas.
"Very well. Thank you." Elijah responded before rising to a standing position once more. "Would you like some assistance?" he asked as he watched them.
"No thank you, I'm perfectly capable of gathering my own things." she snapped a bit rudely as she stuffed the rolled up blanket into her knapsack and slung it over her shoulder. She took the boy's hand in hers and turned to face Elijah once more. "Lead the way Mr. Elijah." she said flatly as though she did not wish to even follow.
The house was anything but humble, it was actually rather immaculate. A large estate full of the finest things money could buy. The boy and his mother looked around in awe at the man's home as he led them into the living room.
"I can show you to a room you can put your things in for the evening, you can either wait in there or the living room for supper, the choice is up to you." Elijah explained as he headed for the stairs.
Mama bear nodded, placing a hand on Nicolas's shoulder as she followed in silence now, merely taking in the surroundings she now found herself in. He led them up the stairs to a bedroom on the left side, opening the door for them and stepping off to one side to allow them to pass. "Supper will be ready in half an hour." he told them. "I will summon you when it is complete." He added with a nod before making his way back down the stairs.
Mama bear nodded, lips pursed together in a fine line, however the remainder of her face was an unreadable mask as she led the boy inside the rather large sized room. Their eyes darted from one side to the other finally landing on the king sized four poster bed in the center of the room against the inside wall. "Well. Someone has made well in life." Mama bear said with a soft scoff escaping the back of her throat.
Nicolas nodded in agreement and set his bag on the chest at the end of the bed. He flopped down on the side of it looking over at his mother as she shut the door behind them, his voice soft and barely above a whisper to avoid being overheard. "Do you think we'll find your papa?" he asked, head tilted to one side.
"If he's here, we'll find him. If he's still alive." she answered, a soft mutter at the end of her sentence.
Nicolas nodded and looked around the room once more. "It sure was nice of Mr. Elijah to invite us here." he said casually, his voice at a normal level now.
"I suppose so." Mama bear said with a soft sigh before setting her bag beside her son's and sitting beside him fussing with his hair. "You're in need of a cut." she said casually before kissing the top of his head. "And a bath." she teased poking him softly on the tip of his nose.
The boy let out a giggle and shook his head. "Maybe Mr. Elijah will let us use the washroom then?" He said tilting his head slightly.
"Perhaps." she said with a soft smile.
Half an hour later Elijah was at the door rapping upon it lightly. "Supper is ready, you can wash up in the restroom connected to that room." he said through the door before the sound of his footsteps were heard heading back downstairs.
They washed up quickly before making their way downstairs and stopping in the living room when they saw Elijah in the doorway to the dinning room. "This way." he said before turning and heading in that direction. Mama bear and Nicolas followed after, joining him in a nicely decorated dinning area with a rather large table occupying it's center.
"You have a lovely home sir." Nicolas said once he entered the dinning area and looked around.
"Thank you.." Elijah said, pausing at the end since he had no name to refer to the boy by. "Is there, something I could call the two of you during your stay here?" he inquired, dark brow shooting up to his forehead.
"Jane and John work fine." she stated flatly before shifting uncomfortably.
Elijah's brows shot up simultaneously but he nodded and pulled out two chairs for them to sit in. They nodded and took their seats beside one another, Mama bear at one end, Nicolas to her right, Elijah, occupied the seat at the opposite end of the table. The food was already set in front of them.
"Thank you." mama bear said softly with a nod before lifting her fork and starting to eat.
Nicolas grinned down at his plate before looking over at Elijah, eyes lit up with excitement. "Thank you sir." He said excitedly before starting on his own food rather viciously.
Mama bear shot him a warning glance and he looked at her with a face that clearly showed he picked up on her silent scolding and slowed his eating down. Elijah watched in amusement from the other end of the table, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he started on his own plate.
"You're obviously, not from around here, what brings the two of you to New Orleans?" Elijah asked five minutes into the meal of silence.
"My business is my own." Mama bear answered sharply as she continued on her meal.
"My apologies. I suppose I should not let my curiosity get the better of me." Elijah said with an apologetic smile before taking a few more bites of his own meal.
"Good advice." Mama bear chimed in with a small smirk before taking more bites of her food.
The rest of the meal passed in silence and once they were finished 'John' and 'Jane' sat there waiting for instructions from Elijah as he slowly finished his own meal. Once he was finished he stood up to take their plates and nodded to them in silent dismissal.
"Mr. Elijah? Could I .. use the washroom, to bathe?" Nicolas asked sweetly batting his long eyelashes at the older gentleman.
"Of course you may, John." Elijah answered a faint smile present on his lips.
"Thank you sir." Nicolas said with a broad smile before heading up the stairs.
Elijah nodded once glancing over at Mama bear with a soft smile. "He's a wonderful boy. How old is he?" he said with a small pause at the end before shaking his head a bit. "You, do not have to answer that." he said softly before turning towards the kitchen with the dishes.
"Eleven." she said flatly. "And, thank you." she added softly before turning to go back up the stairs.
"You're welcome." Elijah said glancing over his shoulder as she left him alone once more.
After they were both clean and sitting comfortably on the bed, Mama bear was softly telling Nicolas a story, one that she had made up, as she was accustomed to do seeing as they didn't own any books, or even had a television. Nicolas was smiling broadly up at her listening when a knock came at the door. Mama bear rolled her eyes pulling Nicolas closer to her side before looking over at the door. "Yes?" she shot out into the air.
"I was, curious if the boy would care for some desert." Elijah asked through the door, not bothering to open it.
Mama bear's mouth opened to answer before looking down at Nicolas who's head was nodding rapidly, his eyes pleading. Desert wasn't something he came across often, and mama bear felt guilty about this. She smiled softly before nodding to him and answering. "He'd love that. Thank you." she said loud enough for Elijah to hear her.
"Well then, would you two care to join me once more in the dining room." he asked not leaving the other side of the door this time.
"I suppose so." Mama bear answered before getting up from the bed.
Nicolas scurried off of it and ran to the door pulling it open and grinning broadly up at Elijah. "Thank you sir." he said making a slight gesture as though he were on the verge of hugging the man but stopping himself from doing so.
Elijah nodded with a warm smile before stepping away from the door to lead the way downstairs. Mama bear and Nicolas followed not far after, making their way down to the dinning room for the second time that evening. On the table sat three ice cream Sundays in the same places where their meals had been earlier. Nicolas eagerly sat down at his old spot and grinned a Cheshire type grin before helping himself to the neatly piled ice cream in front of him.
Mama bear smiled over at her son ruffling his hair softly before starting on her own desert. Elijah watched the boy in amusement from his end of the table a warm smile was back on his face as he did so. He too started on his own desert but was watching the boy in interest much as a proud father would watch their own child.
Mama bear looked up at Elijah from her ice cream, her face furrowed a bit in confusion on the man's facial expression. "Don't have any children of your own Elijah?" she asked, her brown head tilting to one side in a smirk.
Elijah's eyes shot over to her his head tilted slightly to one side before shaking it as it straightened. "No. I do not. He must favor his father." Elijah said nodding towards Nicolas.
"Obviously." Mama bear snapped with an eye roll to exaggerate her sarcasm.
Elijah's brows shot up once more at the woman's response to his obvious statement. "Right." he said shortly before looking back down at his ice cream.
Mama bear's face lit up with smug amusement at Elijah's reaction as she continued to eat her ice cream in silence. Nicolas watched the two of them with slight amusement before continuing with his own Sunday.