"Time it took us to where the water was. That's what the water gave me. And time goes quicker. Between the two of us. Oh, my love, don't forsake me. Take what the water gave me."- "What The Water Gave Me" by Florence and The Machine
Barnabas sat upon a large rock near the shore, staring up at the bright moon through its reflection in the water. In that moment he seemed to envy the moon, for it could see itself and know that it is just as bright as it was the night before. Just hours before now he had been chasing after his beloved Victoria, following her off the cliff of Widows Hill in an attempt to save her life.
Just as he had feared, Victoria had died before the venom could find it's way through her body. Still, Barnabas held the girl in his arms, refusing to believe that she was truly gone. To his amazement he watched as her eyes fluttered open to reveal a pair of piercing red eyes. Before he could say a word the woman spoke, "Josette." She said plainly. In a way she had corrected his pleas, which had been directed towards another soul, another body, and another life.
Without a second thought, Barnabas brought his lips to Josette's passionately. Not daring to ask how she had came back to him, for he was seemingly too happy to care that the woman he loved first had taken the body of the soul who loved him last.
It was hours before they left the bottom of the hill, and they took their time finding a way back to Collinwood. As they walked, Josette went on to explain to Barnabas how she had found her way back to him. She answered every question Barnabas had, smiling when he asked if Victoria's soul was at peace.
"She's the happiest she's ever been. She's safe." Josette had taken a hold of both of Barnabas' hands, gripping them tightly as she stood in front of him. "But Victoria did love you, for you made her feel the safest she had ever felt before now. But she knew I loved you more, and I owe her everything now."
"What do you mean, my love?" Barnabas' asked in a soft whisper.
"No one, not even your family, can know that I have done what I have done. They must believe that I am Victoria and that my corpse is still dead, because it is. I owe it to Victoria to live on her life as if she were still living. And if we are to ever have children, we can only tell them of how you and Victoria met and that she reminded you of me."
"But Josette I-" Barnabas was silenced by Josette bringing her lips to his softly.
"Please call me Victoria." Josette whispered against Barnabas' lips and he nodded his head softly, letting go of only one of her hands so they could continue making their way towards Collinwood. And as they walked, Barnabas' thumb played with the diamond ring on her finger.
Since then it had been eighteen years in which Victoria had given birth to all six of his children. The oldest being Veronica, who's birthday she evidently shared with the real Victoria Winters. July 17th, 1973. It hadn't been long before he had watched his wife give birth to twins, Quentin and Abigail. They were born in May of 1974 on the 19th. In February of 1975, Millicent was born, and by then after only three years of marriage Barnabas was the father of four children, three girls and one boy.
Throughout the next fifteen years, Barnabas welcomed only two more children into his family. Margaret and Annabella. Margaret had been named after the true name of Victoria Winters - Margaret, Maggie for short. Margaret was fourteen now, and since she was born in December she was going to be turning fifteen in a matter of weeks.
Annabella was born on Octorber 21st 1987, which was five years ago that day.
"Daddy!" Annabella called out as she ran down the wooden steps which lead to the beach, "Come look what Uncle David got me!" She said excitedly, not paying any apology for her disturbance.
Barnabas smiled, quickly standing up from the sand to pick up his daughter and support her at his side as they walked up the wooden stairs which led to the backyard of the old house.
"There you are sweetheart." Victoria walked over to her husband and placed two kisses on each side of his cheek. "I sent Bell out to find you."
"It's fine, I'm terribly sorry for leaving, I just had a lot to think about." Barnabas made his way towards the kitchen table where Annabella was still opening presents. "I hope you haven't opened the gifts from your mother and I yet."
"I haven't." Annabella answered as she opened the presents given to her by her oldest sister.
"Good." Barnabas grinned at his daughter, trying to focus on his daughters expressions as she opened her gifts. For he had always loved seeing her, as well as all of his children smile. But it seemed that on this day, of all days, was the hardest day for him. Today marked the eighteenth anniversary of Angelique and Victoria's death.
It was hours until the family left the kitchen table, watching Annabella open each and every one of her gifts. With each gift she opened, she'd hold it up in the air for Margaret to take a picture with her camera. "Good god, how many gifts did you get her?" Margaret asked bitterly, checking to make sure she had enough film left by counting the number of unopened presents .
"You don't need to take a photo of every one." Barnabas muttered when Margaret came behind him to take a photo. "We won't even be in them."
"Yeah but Bells will be." Margaret countered as the flash went off, causing her father to temporarily loose his sight, blinking repeatedly to regain it. "Sorry dad." She shot an apologetic look over shoulder.
"It's fine my dear." Barnabas murmured as he rubbed his eyes.
By the end of the party Annabella had managed to fall asleep in her father's lap, and he softly carried her to bed with some of his other siblings carrying her gifts behind him. "Happy birthday, Bella." Barnabas whispered in his daughters ear after he pulled the covers over her. He kissed her forehead before leaving the bedroom to make his way to his own bedroom.
"Jacqueline it's time to go!" Cassandra called out from the bottom of the stairs, handing her last suitcase to her husband, Roger.
"She was supposed to help us get these in the car you know." Roger muttered, and Cassandra rolled her eyes.
"I know, she's just trying to get every last second out of this house before we move, you know I raised her here." Cassandra explained defensively, but Roger was not convinced.
"She could have gone to college, she was given a damn scholarship, so why isn't she sharing a dorm or an apartment." Roger ranted as he and his wife made their way out across the lawn to the car.
Roger had been asking the same question to Cassandra since they had found out they had to move, and each time, as well as this time, "She's worried about me. About us."
"She's never trusted me with you, don't act like she's the slightest bit worried about my safety. I could die tomorrow and she'd only shed a tear at the sight of you crying." Roger snapped. He tossed the last suitcase in the trunk and made his way across the lawn.
Cassandra's arms were now crossed, "That's not true!" She exclaimed, trying to catch up to her husband. "I know it seems like it, but she does care about you. And she does worry about you."
"She worries that I'm going to kill you or something. It's insulting. We've been married for five years, and I haven't laid a damn finger on you!" Roger hissed.
"I don't have to worry about you killing my mother, I'd kill you just for trying." Jacqueline muttered as she descended from the stairs, walking past Roger to the door before being stopped by Cassandra.
"At least let your step-father take your bags?" Jacqueline took a quick look at Roger before letting out a scoff and walking out the door.
"I'll pass thanks." She muttered to herself as she placed her bags in the backseat. "It's bad enough I've got to sit behind him for four hours straight."
"See!" Roger hissed as he watched Jacqueline leave.
"Things will be different at Collinwood, she'll only know us. Jackie will have no choice but to talk to you." Cassandra walked back over to her husband, embracing him in a hug.
When Jacqueline came back inside her mother and step-father were still holding each other. She rolled her eyes at them, turning on her heel. "I'll be in the car."
For the next four hours after that Jacqueline sat in the back seat of the car with her feet propped up on her suitcase. She had planned on listening to music, but every time she had tried her mother would suddenly start talking about Collinsport, obviously trying to make it sound better than it truly was, for she hadn't even heard of the town before Roger had married Jacqueline's mom.
"Why is the town named Collinsport anyways?" Jacqueline asked, and almost immediately she caught sight of Rogers smug smile as his face turned away from the road.
"My family founded the town." Roger smirked before looking towards the road once again.
Jacqueline rolled her eyes at the thought of his, most likely idiotic, family having a town named after them. She knew they had a successful cannery, but shit the whole town was named after them? "So why don't you still live there? I mean you said your family has a mansion, but you're the only Collins who doesn't live there."
"I used to live there before you born, but up until recently I was at odds with my Uncle Barnabas."
"Who names their child Barnabas? Surely he goes by another name? Middle name?" Jacqueline raised an eyebrow at Roger through the review mirror.
"Oh no that wouldn't work." Cassandra shook her head at Jacqueline.
"Why what is it Roger?" Jacqueline sat forward, but Roger seemed confused.
"I don't know…" He answered, furrowing an eyebrow while Cassandra almost immediately changed the subject.
"Alright now about Collinsport…"
Barnabas had gone immediately to his coffin to sleep for the night. His thoughts were still on Angelique, as they always were on this day. It had been this way even when he was in the coffin, but those were thoughts of rage. These thoughts were more along the lines of guilt, but not despair.
The vampire had been so caught up in his thoughts, he hadn't payed much attention when Victoria had taken her place in the coffin next to his. It wasn't until her voice echoed the words good night that Barnabas quickly repeated the same words back to her.
That next morning Barnabas made his way out to the beach again, sitting on the same rock as he had the night before. He pulled out a small piece of purple glass and sighed. "Angelique." He whispered to himself and placed the piece of glass back in to his pocket. Just then Josette appeared behind him.
"May I sit?" Victoria asked, looking down at Barnabas. He looked up and smiled.
"Of course my love." Barnabas smiled, sliding to the edge of the bolder so that Victoria could sit beside him. They sat in silence staring at the dark moonlit ocean, until Victoria lightly placed her head on Barnabas' shoulder, linking her arm with his. She let out a soft sigh, breathing in the cold air. Barnabas smiled, bringing his nose to her hair.
"Do you think Angelique could have changed?" Victoria's head tilted upwards on her lovers shoulder blade.
Barnabas was immediately thrown off guard. He and his wife never talked about Angelique or even the real Victoria, not ever. He sighed as he thought of a way to answer his beloved's question. However that had always been the problem with Angelique, things with her were never simple.
Finally Barnabas managed to look out into the ocean, "Angelique was only the way she was because she did not have me. I know that now. She would have done anything for me to love her, but I didn't love her, I love you. I always have," Barnabas paused to look down at the woman leaning on his shoulder, watching as she seemed to tighten her grip on his arm. "And I always will."
"Always?"
"Always." Barnabas repeated, softly placing a hand on her cheek, brushing his thumb against her skin.
"Barnabas! Victoria! You'll never guess who's here!" David yelled from the wooden stairway.
Barnabas rolled his eyes, "I'm sure whoever it is-"
"It's dad!" David yelled and Barnabas looked over his shoulder in disbelief.
"Bloody hell." He muttered before quickly making his way across the beach and up the stairs, stopping at the top where David had waited for him. "Where is he?"
"In the kitchen." David answered, and Barnabas was gone in a split second.
In anger, Barnabas had used his speed to get to the backyard door, opening it with so much power that the handle broke. He stopped in the doorway when seeing Roger and a familiar looking woman sitting with him, her hands placed over his as if to comfort him.
The vampire cleared his throat and lifted his chin before slowly making his way towards the table. As he came closer, Barnabas was able to see that there was another girl standing in between their chairs, but that her hand was on the older woman's shoulder. "I thought you took care of this." The girl hissed at Roger.
"I did, Jackie." Roger snapped, but the girl simply rolled her eyes again.
"Hello Roger." Barnabas tried to make his tone sound as welcoming as possible, but only for the sake of the two women he had brought with him. He looked at the woman sitting next to him and the girl standing with a small smile. "I don't believe we have met, I'd remember."
"Surely." The woman next to Roger murmured. Barnabas stared at the woman in confusion, for even though he knew it was impossible, he felt as if he knew who this woman was. She must have felt his stare for she looked up again at him and smiled. "Surely I would have remembered as well." She stood up from her chair and held her hand out. "Cassandra Blair, but please call me Cassie."
Barnabas stared down at the hand of the woman before him, taking immediate notice of the diamond ring. "You are Roger's wife, I assume?" Barnabas finally managed to take her hand in his own, looking into her eyes as he brought it to his lips. The vampire had forced his eyes to look up at Cassandra, "Which means you're a Collins, Cassie." Barnabas' voice was surprisingly cold when saying her name aloud.
"Well no shit.." Jacqueline murmured as she took a seat in the chair that her mother had been sitting in, leaning back as she crossed her legs and arms.
All attention had turned to the eighteen year old, who now sat in the chair with both her legs and arms crossed.
"Jackie." Cassandra's warned, casually slipping her hand out Barnabas' grasp.
"I was joking." Jacqueline snapped at her mother, eyeing the man standing next to him, smirking when he raised a brow back at her.
Cassandra sighed as she made her way back to the table while Barnabas followed. "So what brings you all to the Old House?" Barnabas had taken a seat at the head of the table, watching as Jacqueline seemed to shake her head.
"I knew it.." Jacqueline glanced over at Roger, snarling at him in a way that reminded Barnabas of Carolyn. He raised an eyebrow at Jacqueline, watching her closely until realizing that she was now looking at him as well.
"She's your daughter Cassandra?" Barnabas kept her eyes only on Jacqueline as he spoke to her mother.
"Yes." Cassandra watched Barnabas as he seemed to study her daughter.
"You remind me of someone Jacqueline, actually two people." Barnabas' voice was cold and intimidating, and while Jacqueline refused to show her fear it was known by the way she breathed - inhaling slowly and silently to keep herself calm, forcing her eyes on the man sitting across from her.
"Barnabas?" Victoria was just now getting back inside, as was David. Both were making their way to the kitchen where she stopped at the sight of who, through memories, she knew to be Roger. Suddenly remembering David standing next to her, she looked up towards him worryingly. "Should we leave?" Victoria kept her eyes on David, though her question was directed towards her husband.
"I'm not going anywhere." David hissed, staring at Roger who had been trying to avoid eye contact with him.
"What's wrong Roger?" Jacqueline asked, thankful that she was no longer the center of attention.
"I didn't see you at the door." David furrowed his eyebrows at the girl.
"That's because I wasn't at the door." Jacqueline looked over at David, studying him for a moment. "I was at the car, getting luggage."
"Getting luggage for what?" David turned his attention to Barnabas.
By this time everyone in the room had gone silent, keeping their questions and comments to themselves. Barnabas waited patiently for Roger to begin speaking, but when it became obvious that he would have to be the one to break the silence.
"Roger, why exactly are you here?" he asked calmly, outstretching his arms on the sides of his chair. At his question Roger seemed to look towards his wife, taking a moment to exchange whispers between each other.
Barnabas had kept his eyes on Roger as he waited. He glanced up at David and Victoria out of the corner of his eye, motioning for them to take a seat at the table.
Roger froze for a moment when looking up again to see his son sitting across from him. "Hello son." He managed to say after staring at David for a solid minute.
"Roger you should know that while you were gone, Victoria and I took the liberty of legally adopting him."
"Don't you need some sort of consent to do that?" Cassandra looked over at Barnabas.
"My mother is-"
"Dead, I know." Cassandra spoke over nervously, clearing her throat as she looked down at the table.
"How..?" David paused at the sight of Cassandra's wedding ring, letting out a small scoff that caused Jacqueline to look up from her picking her nails something she only did when she was extremely nervous.
"You got remarried?"
"Did you miss that part?" Jacqueline found her speaking these words with the same sarcastic tone she had used with Barnabas. She turned her attention back to her nails, "I'm your step-sister by the way."
"David maybe it would be best if you and your father spoke elsewhere after he and I are through talking." Barnabas looked down at his nephew with concern.
"He's not my father, you are." David muttered, forcing his eyes back on Roger. "There's no need to talk to him, and he better not expect me to act as if he exsists. He never did."
"Jacqueline I really think it would be best if you went somewhere else for now." Cassandra looked up at Jacqueline with concern.
Jackie took a look at the people around her, watching as David made his way out of the kitchen before nodding her head once, "Fine." She spoke this in a quiet manner, standing up from her chair to leave the kitchen table, but not before placing a soft kiss on her mothers cheek.
"She's lovely." Barnabas whispered across the table once Jacqueline had left.
Cassandra had been watching the living room even after her daughter had passed it with David.
Barnabas waited until Cassandra finally looked away from the living room, shooting her a smile once her eyes met his. "Between you and her father she must-" The vampire suddenly paused when noticing Cassandra reach behind her neck in an act of discomfort.
"How old is she?" Victoria had taken immediate notice when seeing Jacqueline of how adult she physically appeared to be, although these days people always tried to make themselves look younger or older.
"She turned eighteen a few months ago, in July." Cassandra now had a smile on her face, which brought some sort of relief to Barnabas as he finally looked up at his wife.
"Really? We have a daughter who just turned eighteen, the same month too." Victoria's face seemed to glow with excitement. "Thank god she finally has a cousin who's the same age as her."
Cassandra had to force a smile onto her face as she looked from Victoria to Barnabas. Her voice was emotionless when she spoke, "You two have a daughter together?"
"We have five daughters." Victoria answered, and Cassandra's eyes seemed to widen due to pure shock.
"How in the bloody hell did you manage to have five children?" Cassandra looked to Roger with her eyes still wide.
"She forgot to mention our son, Jeremy."
"Holy shit, Barnabas." Roger looked over at Cassandra with a pair of wide eyes.
"Is Jeremy short for Jeremiah?" Cassandra looked to Barnabas, who nodded his head.
"Yes it is…" The vampire furrowed his eyebrows, wondering how Cassandra could have possibly even come to ask the question. "He was named after my uncle."
"I know." Cassandra's voice was similar now, and the way she smiled at Barnabas made him even more frustrated as he tried to figure out if he had ever met him before. She had already said that they hadn't, but people do lie and if she was lying that meant that there was something this woman didn't want him to know.
It was when Cassandra spoke again that he furrowed an eyebrow, "How do you-"
Cassandra stopped Barnabas in mid-question, leaning back in her chair. "My daughter took the time to read about the Collins, why I don't know."
"Are you sure we haven't met?" Barnabas asked again, for the way Casandra looked at him it seemed as if she had known him all her life.
"If we had you'd remember, Barnabas." Roger cut in, the tone in his voice more annoying to Barnabas than ever.
"What is it that you want Roger?" Barnabas asked sharply, turning his attention away from his nephew's wife for a moment to stare at him.
"Like I said, you were right - I did have a problem." Roger sighed, keeping his eyes on the table before him. "And I'm just now having to pay for some of them, and it's cost me everything."
"So you're here for what exactly? Money?"
"A place to stay." Roger answered plainly, finally looking up towards his uncle.
"And why should I let you come back to this home in the same manner as you left it?" Barnabas crossed his arms as he spoke.
"Because we're family." Roger answered nervously, looking from Victoria to Barnabas while biting his lip.
"Family stays together, but you left us. You left your son, who's now my son and I've given him more love and care than I'm sure you ever possibly gave." Barnabas' voice sounded more intimidating than ever.
"I've changed since then, and I'll prove it to you and David." Roger's voice was uneasy as he spoke.
Barnabas let out a sigh, looking to Victoria who's eyes seemed to spark with consideration. He looked back at Roger, "If we allow you to stay here, what exactly do you plan to do? I hope you don't expect for me to just forgive you instantly - you'll have to gain back our trust."
"I was planning to work for the Cannery, rumor has it that you've taken over Angelbay."
"You would be right, we have taken over Angelbay." Barnabas nodded his head once, "And I suppose if you stay here you can work with us there, after all Elizabeth has been short handed and could use an assistant."
"An assistant?" Roger's voice was cold as he looked up at Barnabas, obviously displeased.
"Roger, like I said, you must regain this family's trust. You're no longer on the same level in the business as us. Take it or leave it."
"Fine." Roger gave in, "I'll take it."
