After several false starts, here it is at last! I was trying to force the next couple of chapters into something that wasn't working – so here you have it, something that (for me) works – even if it meanders a bit from the Seventh Heaven path a bit more than I had originally intended this story to go… it does come back on track again at the end of the next part- but there was really just no way to write this without spending some time with other characters - every time I tried, I felt like the story just came up short... so although in one respect, I apologize for the meander, I'm pleased with the way it's turned out. And we're still a ways from 'the end,' because sometimes one crisis only serves to trigger a deeper problem...
Chapter Nineteen
Caroline turned away so that not even Annie Camden would see her tears; she strode to the balcony window and opened it window wide, letting in the chill of the night air.
"Squirt – what d'you think you're doin'?"
"I am my father's daughter." She gave them a last glance – before jumping. Caroline only barely heard Mrs. Camden's sharp intake of air – Fin's curse – Devin's was softer, but she heard him. Shit. Damn. What the hell are we going to tell Vincent…? Caroline hit the pavement – barely two floors down – and ran.
"What do you mean 'we' – I'm not the one who brought her up top." Fin glared at Devin.
"If I didn't bring her, Will was going to."
"Damn," Fin cursed again, slamming the window shut. She was long gone.
"What did she mean," Matt inquired softly, "That she is her father's daughter?"
"Less you know the better right now," Fin told him.
"Where're you headed?" Devin wanted to know – Fin was putting on his coat.
"Where do you think?"
"You'll never catch her – trust me, Fin – you'll never catch her."
"She's just fifteen!"
"And I know what her father was like at that age!" Devin snapped. He took a breath. "Just – let her go. He'll find her." I'm just worried about the state she's going to be in when he does…he thought. That period of darkness that had haunted Vincent so – he'd been just a little younger than she was now… Jake had gone through it, just a couple of years ago – not so bad – but it had happened. And Devin could see that Fin was thinking the same thing, having witnessed Jake's tumult… Devin still had to wonder – would Caroline's be as bad as Vincent's had been…? There had come a point where Father had had to restrain Vincent, physically – a time where both had been exhausted nearly to the point of death… "We can get through this," Devin said – as much to soothe his own fears as for Fin's benefit, "We just have to stick together."
Fin held out his hand – Devin clasped it, tightly. "Together," Fin agreed.
The phone rang.
>
Sights – sounds – bright lights – red and blue – sirens – it passed by in a blur as she ran – faster and further than her legs had ever carried her. Above the moon shown down – stars blazed against Heaven's height… Her heartbeat pounded in her ears – she could feel the rush of blood through her veins – every scent in the city assaulted her nose – every noise hammered at her ears… The sound of the roar coming from her own throat seemed to come from afar – it was like she was outside, looking in – only she barely recognized the thing that she saw, standing in her skin. It was a thing of feral rage – of instinct and emotion…
Up a fire escape – over an alley – across the city, or so it seemed… until Caroline came to rest on the rooftop of Elliot's apartment building. A shape sat hunkered in the darkness.
She bristled, snarling at it, even though she knew this thing's scent.
"Knew you'd come here," Jake stood up cautiously. His sister looked like a thing out of a nightmare – her form hadn't changed, she was still the petite, hour hour glass-shaped girl he used to pick on – but her demeanor was like – like their father's.
Caroline glared at him – thoughts refused to form. She knew who he was – but through the rage bubbling up from her deepest depths, everything was a threat – even her dearest friends… she snarled – then the wind shifted. Her senses, sharpened to a razor's edge by the darkness – she felt it. Something was wrong. "How did you know I would be here?"
"It's where I needed to be too," Jake told her.
"Where is Father?" Caroline demanded.
>
"Kyle – Kyle, wake up!" Amy shook his arm violently. She already had Nicole up and dressed – and Lauren was getting dressed.
"What – what is it?" he looked at the clock. Two hours. He'd gotten barely two hours. "Amy?" she looked frantic.
Right after Caroline pulled her stunt at Simon's brother's place, the phone rang – the voice on the line said only two words. Elliot Burch.
"You and Nicole have to go somewhere – safe."
"Aim – what's going on – first Fin calls – and now – holy mother of god," Kyle sat straight up in bed.
"I am sorry – I do not mean to alarm you," Vincent said softly. "Caroline is here – she was drawn by – an invisible calling. Amy – you and your family must leave – now. Please."
"Am I dreaming this?"
"No," Amy told him, "Meet Vincent – the best man at our wedding."
"I suddenly see why no one was invited…what's going on?"
"I'll explain on the way."
"Where?"
Good question, she looked up at Vincent.
"Father will have to – accept. Lauren," he said as the youngster came up. "Ready?"
"I think so – do you really think – I mean – no one's gonna come here, are they?"
He knelt down to be at her level – and the bullet hit the place where he'd been standing.
Lauren dove into Vincent's chest – Amy screamed – so did Nicole – Kyle rolled out of bed and hit the floor.
"Amy – Lauren!" Elliot ran into the room. A second shot crashed through the remains of the plate glass window.
Vincent pulled him down and pulled the three of them out of sight of the window, keeping Lauren fully sheltered with his body; she was shaking.
Amy made her way to them, still holding a petrified Nicole to her chest.
Kyle managed to pull his pants on over his boxers and grabbed a shirt. "Would someone mind telling me what's going on?"
"I'm afraid it's one of those long stories," Amy told him. Then she realized that there was blood… "Vincent – Elliot? Elliot!"
Kyle saw the blood too – it was soaked into Vincent's chest – but he wasn't the one who was bleeding… it was Elliot… his shirt was soaked through with blood. Bracing himself, Kyle sought out a pulse.
"He is still alive," Vincent said, softly. His gaze fell to Amy – to Lauren who clung to him – he held her too, as tightly as he could, wishing that it was enough – their fear was as great as his own… He had felt Elliot's sharpening apprehension – he'd come as quickly as he could – Jake had followed, saying that it was Caroline he was tracking… and here they wall were… he only prayed that they had not arrived too late… the strength was draining from Elliot's body with each passing heart beat.
Casting an uncertain glance towards his cousin, Kyle nodded – yeah, he was alive, but for how long? At the rate he was loosing blood, it wouldn't be long… Amy was hysterical, begging Elliot not to die – begging him not to let Elliot die – Lauren was sobbing. And in the middle of it all was a thing out of a nightmare, only Lauren was clinging to him as if he was her last hope in all the world… Vincent – wasn't Vincent the name of Catherine's husband…
Kyle pulled off his shirt, deciding to leave the thinking for later. "Lay him down – if I can find the wound – " it was hard to say more – Elliot had been hit in the shoulder – another couple of inches up and he'd be dead already. Kyle pushed his shirt into the bleeding, trying to put enough pressure on it to at least slow the blood loss. "We have to get him to a hospital." Or he's not going to make it – he didn't say the last out loud – he was sure Amy already knew that much…
"That may be easier said than done," said a new voice. Kate stepped out from the shadows – and her gaze fell on Elliot… pain burned in her soul. "The power's been cut," she told them.
Kyle looked up – the kid was about fourteen – and he recognized her from New Year's – she'd been more dressed up then – but yeah, it was the same kid…and there was still something about her – maybe it was the way she stood up, fearlessly, as the rest of the huddled against the wall… or maybe it was the look in those dark eyes… "Anybody got a cell phone handy?" Kyle asked.
"My purse – in the other room," Amy managed to find her voice through the sobs. "But – who do I call?"
"911," Kyle suggested, acerbically.
"Call Fin," said Kate.
"How do we get out of here?" Lauren asked.
"Do you trust me?" Kate asked her.
She nodded.
"Than trust me to get you out of here…"
>
The assassin, a tall lithe figure dressed head to foot in black, pulled the crossbow bolt from her calf. If not for the distraction of the pain, at just the wrong moment, she would have nailed Burch through the left eye, a perfect, clean kill shot. As it was, he was likely to bleed out on his own bedroom room floor. Not clean – but the end result would be the same. Slowly, she turned in the direction from which she'd been shot. "So. They send a woman with a bow and arrow and two children? Is this Vincent so afraid of me that he will not face me himself?" It seemed hardly worth the bullets necessary to kill them.
Jamie smirked, "I dunno – it seemed to have slowed you down plenty." She'd been waiting to escort Amy and Elliot Below when she spotted the assassin on the roof of a neighbouring building and made her way up. Caroline and Jake had taken a more direct route over…
"Elliot Burch is still a dead man," the assassin sneered.
Caroline snarled – the pain of that loss fueled her rage – she broke free of Jake's attempt to restrain her and she lunged forward towards the woman who had shot Simon - the woman who had killed Elliot... and she howled in pain as a knife sliced her arm open – instinct took over, her hands became weapons…possessed of her father's genetics, her nails had always been strong, now they raked deeply into human flesh... The sheer brutality of her attack forced the mask off the woman under her – and Caroline realized that the woman behind the mask was hardly older than she was…
"That's right," the assassin said, seeing the shock in the girl's eyes. "I was three when your father killed mine."
"He isn't dead," Caroline told her.
"He might as well be," the assassin threw her off – she snatched a small pistol from it's hiding place in her boot and held it out – she was barely inches from Vincent's daughter's face.
They were the only two who didn't look up as Vincent leaped the expanse of alleyway to land on the roof, roaring as he flew through the air. He snarled, but still the assassin did not waver – he could get to her – but not before he shot Caroline – and it would be a perfect shot.
"Stale mate," the assassin said, without looking up. "Or should I say check mate – because even if I die – your best friend and daughter go with me."
"NO!" Father and son roared as one… Jake watched helplessly as his sister just sat there – there was nowhere for her to go – she knew it – he knew it – their father knew it… watching from the shadows, Janie knew it too…
The assassin smiled as she tightened her grip – blackness – feathers – a big black bird dove at her – the gun went off – Caroline howled in rage as the bullet pierced her shoulder.
Jamie lifted her crossbow and loosed the bolt – it hit the woman squarely in the chest. She fell backwards, lifeless.
Jake ran to his sister – relief flooding him – he stopped short of her – but the shock of the attack – and no doubt the pain of her wounds – had taken the edge from her anger. He knelt and held her – their father held them both.
"Elliot?" Caroline asked, fearfully… the woman had said that he was dead…
"It is not good," Vincent told her honestly. "There is a very good chance that he will not live."
"No!" Caroline buried her face in her father's chest, sobbing.
>
"Please – let her come with us," Amy begged to the ambulance driver. "Kyle – you can take Lauren, can't you?"
He just nodded – nothing was making any sense tonight.
"Amy, I don't know if there's anything I can do for this," Kate told her, helplessly.
"You can hold my hand," Amy told her, "You can stay with me." They were helped into the back of the ambulance with Elliot – his vitals were down to next to nothing.
Kate held Amy – and Amy held Elliot – and when they got him into surgery, Kate and Amy both held Lauren, while Kyle watched – confused – exhausted – and no longer even trying to make any sense of it… Nicole fell asleep in his lap…
>
"I have to know what's happened Up Top!" Caroline protested with a growl. Grand Father had stitched her arm and was seeing to the bullet wound – really, there was little to be done, but allow her to heal on her own. To that end, Mary appeared at the chamber door with tea – even from where Caroline sat, on the other side of the room, the smell was repulsive. Her stomach heaved – but nothing came up. She snarled in the old woman's direction.
Mary ignored the child. She'd lived through Vincent's darkness – twice – and through Jake's. No doubt, Lord willing, she'd live through Claudia's and Charles' and William's and Jayne's as well...
"Caroline?" Jacob asked, concerned.
"I'm ok – it's just – the smell…I'm sorry Mary – I didn't mean to – snap…"
Mary just smiled.
"The smell?" Jacob asked.
"The tea – it – what's in it?" She recoiled further as Mary handed her the mug.
"Nothing more what I usually put in it, dear."
Caroline looked to her parents.
"I smell nothing out of the ordinary," said Vincent.
Unconvinced, Caroline looked to Jake; he shook his head.
"I can't – drink that, I'm sorry," she put the mug down on the table next to her. "I – oh," she heaved again. "Sorry, Grand Father," she apologized for moving around so much. Some of the anger was finally ebbing – if only everything didn't smell so – sharp. All she could focus on was – the scents around her…
Jacob cast a concerned glance in Vincent's direction.
"Caroline – you must rest now," Vincent put his hand gently on his daughter's good shoulder. "When I went through my darkness, my senses were askew – much as yours are now. You cannot go Above in this condition."
"He's right," Catherine told her. "I'm on my way to the hospital – I'll be there for both of us. All of us," she took her husband's hand.
"Listen to them," Jake said softly. "C'm on, sis – I'm even agreeing that you need to stay put."
Caroline almost laughed. "Mother– will you – I mean – find out how Simon's doing, too? I'm so scared for Uncle Elliot, so very scared – if he – but – I – Simon's wound isn't life threatening, not like Elliot's, but Simon was still hurt…"
"Shhh," Catherine said softly, leaning over to kiss her daughter's forehead. "Of course I will check in on Simon for you." She and Vincent exchanged glances – he'd told her how bad it really was, how he'd felt the life draining from Elliot even as Jamie saw them loading him into an ambulance – Vincent held her briefly – and then let her go… Catherine was almost out of the main hub when Grace caught her.
"For Elliot," she said, handing Catherine one of her potted plants. No one knew how Grace managed to grow them – Tenctonese magic some said…
Catherine gave her a quizzical look.
"We believe that the life force of nahooma – souls – gives strength to those who are sick or wounded. I hope that this will help him."
"Thank you," Catherine brushed her knuckles lightly across her friend's temple.
>
Joe met her at the park entrance. "No word," he said to her fearful expression, "I just didn't want you to drive alone."
"Thank you," Catherine held him for a moment, realizing that she was shaking… "I can't believe she almost won," she whispered.
"But she didn't," Joe assured her. He held Cathy for a long moment, "She didn't. Jamie's a damn good shot."
Catherine laughed, realizing that she was crying, too.
Still holding her, Joe led the way to where he'd parked his car – completely illegally. "Hey – it's gonna be ok. Elliot's tough. He's not going no where."
Catherine hooked her hair behind her ears and tried to tell herself that Joe was right… Elliot wouldn't leave them now – not when he'd just found happiness – he wouldn't leave Amy – that just wouldn't be fair.
>
Eric Camden poked his head into the surgical waiting room (Annie was still with Matt and Sarah.) Diana and Fin were there – most of the odd assortment he'd met at dinner were present as well (Brooke, Geoffrey, Samantha, Erik, Kip – George.) A blond man slept on the sofa, a little girl snuggled up next to him – he looked exhausted, even in sleep… And Amy and Lauren and a girl he hadn't met; she was about fourteen, with long dark hair, a black turtleneck and black jeans – he noticed her pendant… but said nothing. It was the most unusual depiction of an angel he'd ever seen… and in some ways, the most accurate… Across the room, Devin was pacing while Sam Hill looked on – Robbie smiled at Eric as he came in.
"Can I – am I intruding?" he asked.
Amy looked up, teary eyed, "No – please – feel free. This is my daughter, Lauren – and this is Kate," she introduced them. "This is – Simon Camden's father," she realized she was about to break down again and felt Diana's warm arms around her.
"Shhh, honey – it'll be ok."
"How's Simon?" Lauren asked his father.
"He's ok, thank you – they just got him into a room," he cast Diana a warm smile; she'd sat with him until she got the call that Elliot Burch was on his way in – and that it didn't lookgood. Eric sat down, "How is Elliot?"
"He lost a lot of blood," Diana explained – Amy was in no condition. "His vitals were down to next to nothing when they got here – but – his heart was still beating and he was still breathing on his own."
"It's just not fair," Amy wept. "We just got married!"
"Life doesn't always seem fair," Eric began.
"Please – Reverend – I don't mean to be rude – but – I don't think I can take a sermon right now."
"How about a cup of coffee?" he smiled.
"I'm sorry – I don't mean to be rude," she felt herself collapsing against Diana's warm support.
Fin came to sit with her – he took Amy's hands into his, "Amy – Elliot told me something once," he glanced up at Kate – she joined him – so did Lauren. "He said it's ok to believe in miracles. It's ok to believe that he's gonna be all right."
"He's going to be ok, Mom," Lauren said – although it was as much for her own benefit as her mother's. "He has to be ok."
"Here," Eric Camden pressed the styrophome cup into Amy's hands.
"Thank you," she said – although she just looked at it – shock – some rational part of her brain told her that she was just in shock. A couple of hours ago she'd been asleep in bed with the man she loved and now… now he was in surgery fighting for his life… it just wasn't fair! She felt the tears coming and didn't know if she could stop them.
Catherine came in with Joe, then. She came immediately to Amy and just held her for a long while, while they both cried.
"How's your kid?" Joe asked the Reverend, quietly.
"He's fine – the shot was clean. You guys really catch the person behind all this?"
"A woman," Joe told him. "We don't really expect to be able to ID her."
Eric frowned…
"Hey, Dad – Joe."
"Simon," Eric looked up – a nurse was bringing him in a wheelchair.
"Oh, Simon," Catherine was to him almost before his father was; she knelt down to be eyelevel with the wheelchair bound boy.
"They told me – about – I mean – is Elliot going to be ok?"
"I don't know," Catherine told him honestly. "What about you?"
"I'm fine – Caroline?"
:We'll talk later: she sighed. "She'll be all right – she's worried about you – it took Jake to convince her to stay home in bed. She wouldn't listen to either Vincent or myself."
He laughed, just a little, "I guess she had to figure that if he agreed, you guys must be right."
"Son," Eric began. "You should be resting."
"I am resting."
Catherine took over for the nurse and brought him to sit with the rest of the group. Simon held her hand – Joe stood on the other side. They all took turns trying to convince Amy that she should try to nap – or get some air… Eric sat quietly – Robbie had come over to talk to him – they chatted about nothing in particular, really… Devin never stopped pacing, even when Sam tried to convince him that he was going to wear a groove in the floor…
>
The sun was coming up when the Joel Fleishmann came in to tell them that Elliot was out of surgery – but not out of the woods.
"However, he should be waking up soon," Joel said. "Amy – if you'd like to sit with him."
"Can Cathy come with me?"
"Amy – you should –"
"Please," Amy caught her hand. "I know how important he is to you – and you are to him." She looked at Joel, "We should both be there when he wakes up."
"She's right," heagreed Of course, Joel had no problem with them taking Grace's plant in, either…he'd been studying Tenctonese philosophy for several years...they had a lot of good points.
>
Peter Alcott looked up as Amy and Catherine came into the recovery area; he smiled at them. "The breather is because of surgery," he gently assured a stricken Amy Burch. "He won't need it for long."
"But – he was breathing when we came in," she said – Elliot looked so pale – he had more tubes and wires than her mother had had after the heart attack…
"He crashed – twice – during surgery," Peter told her honestly. "But he's strong, Amy – he's a fighter. He knows he has you and Lauren to come back to – he's not going anywhere."
"Are you sure?"
Peter just smiled. "As sure as I've ever been." He touched her shoulder briefly before leaving.
Amy watched him leave – then turned to the bed. Elliot was white – there were tubes and wires, the breather – she was sure she was going to start crying again – and then she felt Catherine's hands on her shoulders…
"It's going to be all right – Peter has never made any false promises to me."
Amy just nodded and took his hand – they both sat – and watched – and waited…
