Written for: KryssiKakes
Prompt: Ann ~ favoritism
Spoilers: Missing scene character study. The initial dialogue between Veronica and Ann is taken directly from episode 01x05 "Seven Curses." Beyond that, everything we learned in these 10 episodes is up for grabs.
Warnings: No standard warnings apply.
A/N: Ahaha! You get more of my headcanon for Ann Rutledge. I named her first daughter Alissa and her first husband's name, while not mentioned specifically in this story, is Jeffrey. I have a whole headcanon percolating about their short-lived family life. It'll come soon enough, I'm sure.
Dedication: This is part of a series of stories to thank the phenomenal creative team of Damien, both in front of and behind the camera.
Series: Part 10 of the #666foryou series
Please see profile for Disclaimers.
"You know I'm not Damien, right?"
From the second she uttered those words, Ann felt the tightness in her chest increase. Years of rigid self-control kept her from rubbing at the spot. "Of course, I know."
"If the Prodigal Son ticked you off, then you should just let him have it." Before Ann could reply, Veronica continued, an odd tone tingeing her words. "I've never seen you like this before."
The words carried, as always, a substantial note of belligerent teenager to them. No matter what Ann did, it was never enough to prove her daughter's implications false.
Turning to respond to Veronica, she discovered herself alone in her office. The sigh escaped her pursed lips before it fully registered in her mind to stop it. The futility of running after her daughter was clear. Besides, it would put a crack in the foundation of puissant authority she'd spent decades cultivating, both within and beyond the halls of Armitage. The devil be damned if she would risk her position now when everything was coming to a head with the plan in play.
Settling in her chair, Ann leaned her head back and closed her eyes. A few slow, deep breaths began the return to equilibrium, but those taunting words still echoed in her mind.
You know I'm not Damien, right?
As if she could ever confuse her daughter for the Deliverer. She couldn't even do it when looking at baby pictures of both Alissa and Veronica. Her daughters were distinctly different people, even if Alissa never made it to her second birthday. Alissa had been a bright, open child with a ready smile on her lips more often than not. Veronica was always so intense, even in her most playful of moods. Long before she ever knew of the specter of her older sister, Ann's second born felt the need to prove herself worthy of her mother's attention. That need for validation was like a second skin that she could never shed.
Just as her daughters had distinct personalities, Damien was an entirely different person than anyone else she'd ever met. The inherent charisma and power coiled around him like a cobra preparing to strike, even when he was at his most relaxed. She remembered seeing him at his father's funeral. The simmering petulance lurking in those ageless eyes had rendered her unable to move when he first met her gaze. That he didn't actually remember that first meeting never surprised her. The wholly mortal part of him had suppressed his supernatural side rather quickly. She still blamed John Lyons for letting the First Lady have so much influence over him in his formative years, as well as keeping Ann herself away from Damien.
Veronica had been two when the Thorns were killed, when Damien was shipped off to be the token fosterling taken in by the First Family. Even at her tender age, she'd known that Damien was special. Ann never quite understood how she could have the mind of an old soul while having such an impetuous streak. Even when she learned of the plan for the Deliverer, and was allowed to join the ranks of the faithful, Veronica excelled but fought tooth and nail for her mother's approval.
If only she could understand that Ann loved all of her children equally, but differently. There truly were no favorites in her eyes.