Author's Note: Hey, guys! Sorry about the wait on this chapter. Thanks to TorontoBatFan for really pushing me to finish this chapter. I got halfway through writing it when my computer decided to delete the file. It just wasn't there the next morning. And then there was the matter of motivation...but hey, I pulled through writer's block for the upteenth time and got it updated. The chapter isn't as long as my chapters for any of my stories normally run, but I was kinda in a hurry to get this up for you guys to read.

Also...I got a PS Vita recently and that caused a bit of a delay as well...heh heh heh heh...anyway, enjoy!

Thanks to those who are following the story. Hope I didn't lose any of you! And huge thanks to those of you who took the time to review: linalove, TorontoBatFan, dionne dance, Jess54325, Guest, Guest, , and Guest. You rock!

Unsigned reviews-

Guest 1: I'm glad you find it interesting!

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Guest 3: Sorry for leaving you hanging like that. Here you go!

Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Shadows.

Chapter Three

I see you every time that I close my eyes

I hum every lullaby that you used to sing

You never know the last time that you'll see someone

So give them all of your love

'Cos they'll disappear

When you leave this life, the world will be a darker place

For all who remain

When you leave this life, the world will be a darker place

For all who remain

And the light you gave the human race will go away

~All Who Remain by Beware of Darkness

Alice quickly opened and closed the front door after shaking all of the snow from her clothes. Because their bus was running late, Matthew and Madeline had decided to have a snowball fight while they waited. Alice was caught in the crossfire and joined in, getting snow in places she didn't know she had.

Taking off her coat, Alice hung it up and made her way to the kitchen.

A nice cup of coffee should warm me up, she thought.

Alice began making the coffee, making just enough for everyone to enjoy if they wanted any. As she was reaching for the sugar, she couldn't help but feel as if she were being watched. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up and she thought that she felt something cold on her ear. At that, she quickly turned around to find that she was alone.

Odd.

While she waited for the coffee to finish, she decided to make everyone else breakfast. She grabbed the eggs from the fridge, along with whatever else she could find. She decided to make bacon and eggs Florentine (she had found some spinach in the fridge) with toast and strawberry jam. Looking at the pantry for anything else to make with the meal, she made a mental note to go to the market that weekend.

She cracked some eggs into a mixing bowl along with some spinach while she waited for the bacon to crisp up. The feeling of being watched came over her again as she tried to locate the pepper. Then out of nowhere, as she found it, a voice behind her said, "It smells delicious in here."

Alice squealed and dropped the pepper. At least she wasn't holding the eggs. Clutching her chest, she saw that it was David who had startled her.

"My lord," she breathed. "You frightened me."

David chuckled. "Forgive me, Alice. I should have made my presence known."

"But that was pretty funny," Carolyn pointed out as she sat at the island with some paperwork. "You've got to admit."

Alice picked up the pepper off of the counter and took a deep breath. She wasn't used to being scared so easily. She went back to cooking, peppering the eggs and removing the bacon from the pan. She then crunched it up and put it in the eggs. She put the toast in the toaster and then made her a cup of coffee.

"Coffee?" she offered the others.

Carolyn shook her head. "Already had some this morning."

Alice gave her a puzzled look.

David interjected before she could ask any questions. "I'd love a cup, thank you."

Alice nodded. "Crème and sugar?"

"Please."

She quickly obliged, mainly because she didn't want the eggs to burn. She handed David his cup and stirred the eggs.

"What's for breakfast?" she heard an older voice ask. Turning for just a moment, she saw that Elizabeth had joined them.

"Bacon and eggs Florentine with toast and jam," Alice replied.

"Sounds delicious."

"Smells delicious," Carolyn added.

As soon as the food was finished, she dished plates for everyone including herself and then joined them at the table. When she sat down, she couldn't help but notice the pile of papers Carolyn had brought down with her. Elizabeth looked over her shoulder and was looking over it as well as she took a bite of eggs. Alice's curiosity got the better of her.

"What are you working on?" she wondered. "Schoolwork?" Alice wouldn't be surprised if she was working on a report of some kind. Carolyn looked close to her own age.

"Some paperwork for the company," was Carolyn's reply. "I need to make sure that the payroll is in check."

Alice was surprised. She's in on the business, too?

David seemed to read her mind. "Carolyn has an internship with the company, so to speak. She's working on getting her Business major."

Alice put her coffee mug down. "That's sounds great. You've definitely got your work cut out for you."

Carolyn shrugged. "Not really. It's pretty simple."

"I wish I had the patience for that sort of thing," Alice said. "I've really never understood business or anything like that."

"What sort of things are you into?" Elizabeth asked as she took a sip of coffee.

"Um…well, I love reading and writing. It's actually one of the reasons I got my degree in English."

"Ah. You must have started fairly young."

Alice nodded. "I did. Growing up, I didn't have much to do except read. I graduated early because of that. But I didn't really have enough money to actually go to university, so I took online courses."

"How old are you?" Carolyn asked.

"Twenty-four."

"Hmm." She regarded Alice for a moment before asking, "If you've got a degree, then why are you doing this job? Why not teach?"

Alice hesitated for a moment. She didn't realize that she would be interrogated like this, and it made her uneasy. She may have been here for only three days, but she couldn't help the feeling that she was being put on the chopping block already. Delving into her past wasn't something she thought she'd have to do this early in her new position.

"I-it's complicated."

"Not enough jobs?" Carolyn asked, ignoring Elizabeth's warning look. "Or they didn't have a job for you?"

She immediately, without thinking about it, got on the defensive. "Some things came up and made it very difficult for me to get a job as a teacher. This position fulfills that wish."

Quietly excusing herself, Alice put her plate in the sink and left the kitchen, heading to her room to change and get ready to do her duties. Both Elizabeth and David sighed and then glared at Carolyn.

"What?" she wondered. "What did I do?"

"You know very well," Elizabeth replied. Pointing to the sink, she said, "You've got breakfast dishes, paperwork or not."

Carolyn grumbled at that. She hated doing the dishes.

xxx

He barely made it back to his room before anyone could see him. He decided to figure out where that scent had come from, who it was attached to. He needed to get out of that room as well. But he never expected that scent would be attached toher.

The new governess, he thought.

He heard a door open and close rather quickly. He realized that she had returned to her room. Carefully, he opened his own door and walked outside. He stood outside her room, his hand hesitantly raised to knock.

But what would he say? What would he do? He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, and he really didn't want to scare her off. He would need to take his time with this one. There was more to her than she wanted to admit…he sensed that much.

If Carolyn hadn't of asked too many questions, she would have stayed at the table, he wondered. And then she wouldn't have almost seen me.

He put his hand down and went back to his room. He needed to give her more time, and it seemed that he needed a little more time as well.

He would need to wait for night to come, and then, maybe then, he'll reveal himself to her.

Nightfall would be his best option.

xxx

Alice finished dusting the drawing room and making sure that all of the Collins' belongings were put back. She couldn't help but linger, looking at all of the different pictures that were put up around the room. She smiled when she saw pictures of David and his wife, and then later with his own children. Then there was a picture that caught her eye. It was actually a painting of a man and woman sitting together with their hands in each other's, the man looking at the woman with adoration and love. The woman looked up to him the same way.

Tentatively, Alice picked the painting up to examine it carefully. When she didn't have an "episode", she relaxed and took closer look. The way the artist captured the likeness of these two people, these lovers, was amazing, and she couldn't admire it more. Whoever the artist was, they really captured the love they felt for each other. It almost made Alice cry.

I wonder if I'll ever find something that precious, she wondered.

"I see you take a liking to art as well," David said, breaking her from her thoughts.

Alice turned to face him, not really startled this time. Looking back at the painting, and then to him, she asked, "Who is this?"

"The man is my cousin, Barnabas Collins. The woman next to him is Victoria Winters. She decided to go by Josette at one point."

"Why?"

"Victoria was her middle name," David answered. "Barnabas always thought that Josette was a prettier name. Beautiful was how he pinned it."

Alice looked back at the painting. "They must really love each other," she said.

"They did. You couldn't separate them for anything. She was a big help with the family business. She also used to look after Maddy and Matt."

She looked at him, sensing the sadness in his voice. "What happened to her?"

"She…uh…passed away about two years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Her death had a pretty big impact on the family. Barnabas especially."

"I can imagine. To lose someone you love just like that."

David sighed. "That's not all, though. The reason he doesn't do any public relations with the company was because of her death. He pretty much locks himself up inside his room and hardly every comes out. It's very rare that anyone ever sees him nowadays."

Alice nodded. "So no chances of meeting him, then?"

The elder man shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not."

Again, she nodded. She was very similar. When her parents died, she refused to talk to anyone. She couldn't even look at the men who had taken them away from her. So she understood why Barnabas Collins would disconnect from the outside world. She understood perfectly.

She looked at the painting one last time and then placed it back onto the top of the piano where she had found it. As she left the room with David, she couldn't help the feeling of familiarity coming over her with Barnabas' likeness.

Have I seen him before?

xxx

Very, very quietly, he opened the door to her room and walked in. It was well past midnight, so he didn't expect her to still be awake at this hour. Fortunately for him, Alice was still asleep.

He heard her name while she was playing with the children. He watched as she played the twisting game with the twins. He couldn't help but chuckle when he heard Madeline shout, "No cheating, Miss Alice!" as the governess tickled Matthew, trying to get him to fall down.

Alice, he thought. Like out of a story.

The sound of her sleep-filled sigh brought him out of his thoughts. He looked down at her and noticed that some of her hair had covered her face as she turned over in her sleep. Carefully, he moved the offending lock and pushed it behind her ear. He couldn't resist stroking her cheek as he watched her sleep peacefully. Unfortunately, the action caused her brow to furrow and stir from her sleep. Fearing she would awake, he quickly retreated into her dark closet. He saw Alice toss and turn until finally she woke up with a start. She looked around her and, as if realizing that it was just a dream, she lay back down on the bed and pulled the covers close to her, as if to get warm. When he realized that she was asleep once more, he quickly and quietly left the room and shut her door.

As he sat at the desk in his room, he couldn't help but think of her. The Alice was with the children, encouraging them as she helped them with their homework, or how her smile seemed to brighten the room. When he was watching her sleep, he had to fight back the urge to caress her forehead when her brow furrowed. He wanted, more than anything, to know more about her and her past. It seemed that something dark had happened to her, for when she smiled, her eyes did not.

What has happened to you, my dear? he wondered. Why? Why must you remind me of her?

He recalled her conversation with David, when she said that there wasn't going to be a chance of meeting him. He smiled.

Soon, sweet Alice. Soon.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please don't forget to review and let me know what you think. I love reviews...they make me write faster *hint hint* *wink wink* *nudge nudge*

And I'm fairly certain that you know who mystery man is...I should think it's pretty obvious...and I will leave it at that.

~Xanthe :3