Revealing Shadows part 2
Helen paced her office. Her heart filled with panic and she felt the need to work, to do something anything. The brief disruption of silence caused her to smile. She was home her baby girl was back where she belonged. Helen turned and walked to her angel and hugged her tightly.
"Ashley." Helen whispered so happy to have her daughter with her.
"Mom." Ashley said holding to her mother.
John smiled in the background as he watched Helen and Ashley cling to each other. His family would be together soon. He would let Helen try and fix him. His killer instincts went on high alert to the familiar vampire. John smiled at Nikola's shocked reaction. Helen looked up from her embrace and gave Nikola an apologetic look.
It was that brief moment that Helen finally realized what James meant all those times when he said she never thought things through. She hadn't thought of how to tell John about Nicole and never told Nikola about Ashley still being alive. 'BLOODY HELL' Her mind screamed at her. She swallowed hard, Ashley didn't know about Nicole either. She could see her mess spiraling out of control.
"Hello Ashley." Nikola said smiling at the two women.
Ashley faced him smiling slightly confused as to how he knew her. "Hi…um….."
"Tesla, Nikola Tesla." Nikola said looking at Helen. He could tell she was regretting her not so well thought out plan. 'Bloody Hell indeed.'
Nikola looked around the corner for Nicole. She was coming in with a tray of tea last time he saw her. This would be entertaining to say the least. He felt guilty at the thought that was something new and strange. He only felt guilty when he did something wrong. Why would he feel it now?
John's instincts alerted him again as Nicole entered the room her head down. She looked up and her heart stopped. The flashes of the blond woman's face flood her mind, her name echoed in her ears. Nicole could see her mother's mouth move but she couldn't hear her. Her entire life was full of rejection and now lies. The tray fell from her hands and she hurried out of the office.
She could feel her body vamping, she could feel it and she tried to stop it but…. Nicole ran to the elevators. She pressed the button repeatedly; her eyes turning black and her nails and teeth growing. Henry stared as the elevator doors opened.
"Hey are you okay?" Henry asked feeling concerned as to why she was vamped up.
Nicole said nothing as she quickly ran to the stairs. Henry stood slightly confused but when he saw Ashley hurrying from Helen's office along with Mr. Psycho, Tesla and Helen; it made no sense still. He pointed to the stairs as Helen approached him.
"Ashley?" He said staring at the blond.
"Hi Gumby." She offered as assurance it was herself. She stopped and let the others go after the girl.
"How are you…here?" He asked feeling he would seriously need to join Nikola in emptying the wine cellar after this.
"Mom will explain…who is that girl?" Ashley asked.
"Nicole she is you um…sister." Henry said confused as hell. He wanted to click his heels and be back in his lab where everything made sense and for once nothing was tripping out.
*x*x*x*
Helen and Nikola had Nicole cornered. John stood back as he put the pieces together. The little vampire was Nikola and Helen's child. Her reaction to Ashley was that of a jealous sibling.
"John, get me a tranquilizer gun now." Helen ordered earning her a hard glare from Nikola.
"No you are not shooting our daughter." Nikola sharply said growling.
Nicole emotions were running ramped through her body. She could not understand why she could not change back. Helen approached her; Nicole moved to the wall before pushing passed her mother. She looked behind her at her dad.
"Nikki," Nikola said approaching her slowly. "I know you are scared, but if you calm down…"
"Nicole, please listen to him." Helen said trying to approach her carefully.
Nicole shook her head. "No, no, no. You lied to me." She screamed her voice deep and unforgiving with conviction. "You let him die…"
"Nicole, I swear to you I could not…" Helen tried to reason.
"Lies!"
Nikola grabbed Nicole's arms. "Nikki please stop…" Nikola tried to soothe. " Listen to reason!" He growled as Nicole tried to jerk away.
"Don't defend her! She lies!" Nicole screamed unable to stop herself. Her heart thrashed wildly against her chest.
"Nicole, I…" Helen attempted.
"SHUT UP!" Nicole screamed again her body shaking. She was panicking because her body would not change back. She felt so angry, and the want for blood scared her even worse.
Nicole's eyes got wide as she was shot with a tranquilizer. Nikola held to her as her body went limp. John had his famous smirk on his face. Nikola could tell he was judging Nicole, and again that strange feeling made him want to rip the psychopath into shreds. He lifted his daughter and took her to her room.
*x*x*x*
Nicole looked up her head swimming; she felt like a monster. Ashley would have never reacted like that. Nicole rolled her eyes. She was starting to think like her mother. Her eyes travelled about the room her parents must be talking about what to 'do' with her. There was a knock before her door opened.
Helen walked in and sat a tray with tea by her bed. "Nikki I am sorry I didn't tell you." Helen said.
Nicole looked at her mom; no mercy to be found in her eyes. "Whatever."
"Nikki don't do this." Helen said sitting by Nicole.
"Do what? Lie and pretend it's okay?" She snapped looking away from her mother.
"Nikki I knew if I told you then you would hate me for leaving." Helen said looking down.
"Did you even think that by saving your precious Ashley you could have changed my timeline to being…oh what's that word…NON EXISTENT?!" Nicole barked.
"I would never have….Nikki I love you." Helen reached out to stroke her cheek only to have her hand slapped away.
"How do I know that's not another lie to make me feel better?" Nicole said moving to get away from her mother.
"Be angry at me…I deserve it, but don't hate your sister." Helen said feeling her heart shatter because she saw the pain in her youngest. Helen stood up and headed for the door. She turned at the doorway. "Nikki I love you…I am truly sorry."
Nicole said nothing; she simply turned her back on her. Helen sighed heavily and walked out. Ashley met her in the hallway. It was hard to think that because of her, her two daughters would not have a relationship. Helen grabbed Ashley's shoulder and gave a sad smile.
*x*x*x*
Nikola knocked on the door. Helen had asked him to talk to her Nicole. He was sure that if Nicole was anything like him that this blow she had received would take time to heal. The door opened and Nicole seemed relieved that it was him.
"What did she tell you to say?" Nicole quickly asked allowing him into her room which had music sheets scattered about her bed and an acoustic guitar leaning on the frame of her bed.
"Nothing really just wanted to make sure you were okay." Nikola lied smoothly. "May I ask as to why you hate Ashley?"
Nicole rolled her eyes. "How can I hate someone I don't know…I mean the jerk with the tranq gun; well we will just say he is on my shit list."
Nikola chuckled. "He stays on a lot of lists."
"Yes well I don't hate Ashley…I hate the fact that growing up I was compared to her." Nicole looked down at her feet. "I hate how my mom would risk my existents for Ashley's…"
"What?" Nikola said looking at Nicole. "She would never…"
"Have you thought about what would have happened if the other Helen found Ashley, or if my mom cured Ashley faster? Things would have been changed. How would the other Helen know to go through the time line to have me…why would she?" Nicole said her voice slightly rose as tear trickled down her cheeks. "I am not Ashley; I cannot be Ashley so why would she want me?"
Nikola's heart broke…for the first time years he felt pain but it was not from Helen hurting him, but from her hurting their daughter. She had gone too far. The overwhelming thrashing in his chest caused him to hug Nicole before rushing out.
Helen's office door swung open and caused her to jump. Nikola was beyond angry couldn't keep his mind on the same terms with his mouth as he spat the poisonous words at her. "You selfish Bitch!"
"Nikola!" Helen said startled by his outburst.
"You would risk Nicole's existent for Ashley's" Nikola continued ignoring her plea for reason. "How heartless can you be Helen?" Nikola's eyes turned black and his talons grew.
"Nikola, I would never try-"
"Try unless there was a chance…and what would have happened if you failed? Does she mean so little to you? Or is it because she isn't JOHN'S?!" His voice was deep and venomous.
Helen stared speechless at his reaction. She could not believe that Nikola would think she would risk Nicole for Ashley…sad thing was that it was the same way Nicole felt. Her eyes filled with tears as she rose from her desk.
"Nikola I would never put Nicole's life at risk for my own personal gain!" Her voice cracked her blue eyes flooded with tears.
Nikola looked at her, "Does she know that Helen?" He pointed toward Nicole's room. "Does she know that you love her the same way as you love Ashley?" He paused but did not allow her to answer. "No, she thinks that because she isn't Ashley she isn't good enough for you!"
Helen looked away. "I never meant to make her feel that…"
"Don't tell me… Tell her." Nikola said before the guilt filled him. He was angry at her for hiding Nicole and then hurting Nicole. Nikola took her hand and sighed. "She is hurting Helen, and unlike me she might not forgive you…if you don't fix it now."
*x*x*
Nicole looked up from her cozy position on the couch. Ashley had walked in and was thinking of what to say. Nicole wanted to laugh at the puzzled look on her older sister's face.
"It's called hi, or hello, even sometimes hey." Nicole decided to help her out with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Ashley forced a smile. "You don't like me do you?"
Nicole rolled her eyes. "Usually people get to know someone before forming opinions like that… However, I don't have a problem with you."
"Then why did you freak out when you saw me…Henry and them told me what happened." Ashley said sitting across from Nicole.
"Well it is not every day that your 'dead' sister raises from the grave…" Nicole said sugar coating the truth.
Ashley looked down. "Is that all?"
Nicole sighed putting the book in her lap on the floor. "I was upset because I was lied to and…" Nicole stopped herself and thought of a clever lie. "It was a huge shock."
Ashley nodded. "Your dad seems pretty cool…" She attempted to find a stable conversation.
"Your dad shot me…not so cool." Nicole said shrugging.
"He has a way with kids…" Ashley said scratching her head.
"Ah." Nicole said not noticing how much she sounded like her mother. Ashley however started to laugh. "What?" Nicole said confused slightly.
"When you said 'Ah' you sounded just like mom." Ashley said smiling.
Nicole bit her lip and smiled. "Here I thought I would like you…"
Both girls started to laugh.
Helen stood outside the entertainment room listening to her children. Maybe with time Nicole would forgive her. For now she was happy seeing her two beautiful girls happy and together.
