Chapter 9

She would rather light candles than curse the darkness and her glow has warmed the world.

-Adlai E. Stevenson

After they calmed Vicki down, Niall took her into his office to show her the test results he had on file and to answer her many questions. While they were doing that, Coreen and Kit were talking.

"How do you know this doctor? You said he was an old friend but he doesn't look any older than thirty? Is he like you? You know, 'old'?" Coreen couldn't help but ask.

"No, no nothing like that. I knew his parents before they died. They came to the US from Scotland when Niall was only a child. When they died I kept an eye on Niall and he has become a very good friend."

--

Meanwhile Niall was asking Vicki about her previous ophthalmologist and their diagnosis. Vicki told him about her last visit and what the doctor had said, just six months prior.

Flashback

"Vicki, please!"

Vicki frowned, a visit to the ophthalmologist never put her in what could be called a good mood and all this right-eye, left-eye focusing was giving her a major headache. "What?" she growled through gritted teeth- only incidentally a result of the chin rest.

"You're looking directly at the test target."

"So?"

Dr. Anderson hid a sigh and with patience developed during the raising of two children, explained, not for the first time, her tone noncommittal and vaguely soothing.

"Looking directly at the test target negates the effects of the test and we'll have to do it all over again."

And they would, too. Over and over again if necessary. Holding back a sharp comment behind the thin line of lips, Vicki attempted to cooperate.

"Well?" she prodded at last as Dr. Anderson flicked off the perimeter light and motioned for her to raise her head.

"It hasn't gotten any worse…"

Vicki leaned back, watching the doctor's face. "Has it gotten any better?" she asked pointedly.

This time, Dr. Anderson didn't bother to hide the sigh. "Vicki, as I've told you before, retinitis pigmentosa doesn't get better. Ever. It only gets worse. Or if you're very lucky, the degeneration reaches a point and goes no further."

"Have I reached that point?"

"Only time will tell. You've been pretty lucky already," she continued, raising a hand to forestall Vicki's next comment, "in many cases, this disease is accompanied by other types of neurodegenerative conditions."

"Deafness, mild retardation, premature senility, and truncal obesity." Vicki snorted. "We went through all this in the beginning, and none of it changes the fact that I have effectively no night vision, the outside edge of my peripheral vision has moved in twenty-five degrees, and I've suddenly become myopic."

"That might have happened anyway."

Vicki shoved her glasses up her nose. "Very comforting. When can I expect to go blind?"

The nails of Dr. Anderson's right hand beat a tattoo against her prescriptive pad. "You may never go blind and, in spite of your condition, at the moment you have perfectly functional vision. You mustn't let this make you bitter."

"My condition." Vicki snarled, standing and reaching for her coat. "as you call it, caused me to leave a job I loved that made a difference for the better in the slim-pit this city is becoming and if it's all the same to you, I think I'd rather be bitter." She didn't quite slam the door on the way out.

End of Flashback

It had actually been Henry that had changed her outlook on her disease. He had helped her to see and had even helped her come to terms with her eventual blindness. Now it looked like she wouldn't be going blind, with the help of her aunt's friend.

"Now you said that you recently experienced some improvement with your night vision. Could you tell me what precipitated that. Any change in your diet, anything like that?"

Vicki didn't know how to tell this doctor that just two nights ago she had drank the blood of her vampire partner in a dark magic ritual in an attempt to save him from a mummy trying to kill him. Yeah that would go over well.

"Nope, can't think of anything."

--

Before Coreen could ask anymore questions they were interrupted by the return of Niall and Vicki.

"I see you are still downplaying your influence on my life. Aikaterine here was the one who helped my parents open their restaurant in New York, and after they died, she is the one that found guardians for me here and she made sure I attended the best schools. She also made sure I interned with the best doctors in the world. So I am only being the type of friend she has been to me. Now I have scheduled an appointment for Vicki to come into my office at the hospital for a checkup and we'll see what happens after that. Alright?"

"That sounds wonderful Niall. And you really must stop exaggerating. I merely looked after an old friends son. So Victoria, how do you like my surprise?" Kit couldn't help but ask with a mischievous look in her eye.

"I swear Auntie Kit, you never change! Thank you so much… I don't know how I can ever repay you." Vicki threw herself into Kit's arms. She whispered once more, "Thank you."

--

It was 9 o'clock when Vicki, Kit and Coreen finally walked into Vicki's office. All three were laden down with bags and packages from their 'little' shopping spree. Kit had paid for everything and Vicki and Coreen were trying to remember why they had agreed to any of the purchases that they were carrying. None of them were expecting to see Henry lurking in the shadows nor for his angry questions.

"Where were you?! I've been trying to call your cell phone for the last two hours! Why didn't you pick up? I came by and you weren't here, where were you?! What if there had been an emergency, hmm? What if you were in trouble and needed my help! I wouldn't have known because you wouldn't pick up your phone!" he finally seemed to run out and was left standing looking foolish as the three women stared in shock at his babbling.

"Henry is everything alright? You seem a little stressed."

"Yes I'm fine. I was just concerned that's all. Now would one of you mind answering my very reasonable questions, hmm?" He could only stand there, trying to be nonchalant, and was thankful he could no longer blush as they all laughed at him before settling down to talk. He noticed Vicki and Coreen's changed appearance, but didn't think either would appreciate his commenting on it.

"We went shopping Henry, that's all. Which I might add you would know if you had stuck around for just a little longer last night. But putting that aside, I've decided that its time for me to share some of my past with you two. Coreen you are more than welcome to stay if you want?" After Kit received Coreen's nod, she continued. "Well I guess I should start at the beginning. I was born, as I said, three thousand years ago to a young priestess at the temple of Delphi…

The asterisks mean that I borrowed the passage from Tanya Huff's 'Blood Price'.

I just couldn't put into words how I wanted the doctor scene to go and Ms. Huff had them.