Chapter 10: Meeting the Parents

Victor was in heaven; seven months ago he was ready to end his life, and now, he was glad he hadn't. If he had, he would not have known true happiness like he did now. Everything was just perfect, and he decided he wanted to do something with Nora.

One day he had asked her if she would like to meet his parents, and she of course said she would love to.

The next day, they drove up to Gotham Cemetery and Victor, with roses in his hands, took Nora's hand and led her to their plot.

They stood before a huge headstone that had two names on there.

Jacob and Rebecca Fries: Dear Friends, Beloved Partners, Loving Parents.

Victor went up and placed the roses on top of the grave and started to speak softly.

Hello. I am sorry that I haven't seen you in so long. They wouldn't let me come, and I was busy with school, trying my best to make you proud of me. I hope I did, and I hope I do. But I have to tell you, there was never a day that went by that I did not think of you. I wanted you back so much, life was awful. I was so miserable that I nearly killed myself."

Nora looked at him rather shocked, he never told her about that.

"Whether it was God or some other kind of power, I was stopped in time to be asked to go out. And then, I saw her." He turned to Nora. "She made everything thing that happened seem worth it. I knew in a moment I was in heaven, I was happy. Nora is the best thing to ever happen and I can only hope that I will continue to be lucky and find more happiness."

He went over and brought her over to the grave. "I would like you to meet this incredible woman. Mom, Dad, I would like you to meet Nora Fields."

Nora smiled and waved, which she realized was a stupid thing to do. "Hi there. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Isn't she beautiful?"

Nora blushed and said, "I would like to thank you for giving him life, otherwise I would have never met such a wonderful man."

She paused and then asked, "Why didn't you tell me that you almost killed yourself."

"Maybe because of the same reason you thought telling me about you would make me hate you. I was afraid you wouldn't want to stay."

Nora kissed his forehead and nuzzled against his shoulder. "I am glad you decided to stay."

"Me too."

Nora looked to the grave and said, "Don't worry, I will make sure I keep your son out of trouble again."

Victor chuckled, and after saying goodbye, he took Nora home, glad that he had seen his parents again, and to have Nora meet them too.

The next day, Victor came over for dinner and when he came in, he heard arguing, a very rare thing in this house.

"Why is it a big deal?" Nora asked.

"Because we don't think that you can handle it." Susan calmly explained.

"I am not the little girl I once was. I am stronger. I need to do it!"

"Nora, just think it through-"

"I have, and I am going."

Nora stormed out of her mother's office, so angry she nearly bumped into Victor.

"Nora, what's wrong?"

"Nora Christine Fields!" The professor yelled, shocking Victor, who never heard his teacher speak above anything than a normal tone. "You will not walk away from us. And if extremity is what will take to make you see reason, then we forbid you!"

"You can't! I am an adult now, and I understand your fears, but it is something I must do!" She headed for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" John asked aggravated.

"I am going to go get ready for dinner, or am I forbidden from that too?" She stormed off, slamming her door.

Victor was completely lost asked, "Should I have knocked?"

Susan turned to Victor, desperate asked, "What happened the other day?"

"Uh, I had Nora meet my parents?"

Susan and John looked at each other, as if they missed the answer by a mile.

"What is going on?"

With a sigh he explained, "Nora has decided to go to her father and have closure too."

Victor was shocked. "But I thought she didn't want anything more to do with him?"

"No," Susan interrupted gently, "She never spoke of him, and I suppose she never thought that it was necessary to do so, until she saw what you and your parents went through the other day. Now, she feels that she must see him to end it all." Susan started to cry. "I thought she was happy here, that she would forget everything that had happened."

Victor didn't know what to say that could comfort her, all he knew was that he had to tell the truth.

"She is happy here, never doubt that. But, she does have some unresolved things to finish. Could you deny her that? Nora may have moved far into her life, but she is always caught by her past. What happened to her is worse than I think what I ever had to handle. For her to be able to have a life, she needs to do this. I agree I felt much better when I finally got it all out of me. Nora needs that, but not to either of you, not to me, but to the man who wronged her. Once she does that, she'll truly be able to move on."

Nora came down the stairs calmer than when she was. "Hey Victor, sorry about all that."

"Nora, if meeting your father is very important to you, then I will be very happy to drive you there." Victor said.

"Really?"

"And we will be there too, in case you may actually want us there." John added.

Nora suddenly burst into tears and hugged Victor. "Thank you. Can we go tomorrow?"

"Whenever you want."

And so they left early, to Gotham Prison, where Nora kept quiet throughout the whole ride, wondering just what she would say and do when she meet him.

The head of the prison allowed all of them into the visitors' room, understanding the situation. Nora sat in front of the glass staring at the door, waiting for him to come out, while Victor, John and Susan stood behind her. Victor placed reassuring hands on her shoulders and squeezed them.

Only one prisoner came out, and Nora felt a sudden rush of fear; she thought she had forgotten how he had looked but she knew once she saw him. Harry Abbott. He was fatter and grayer than she remembered, but she still remembered his eyes, so dark and dead. He was so tall and even with the glass barrier between them Nora felt like the little girl she once was and didn't want to do it.

"Victor…"

"It is all right, I am here. He can't get you now. I won't let him hurt you."

Nora felt somewhat safer, but her hand still shook when she reached for the phone, and waited for him to pick it up.

He was looking at her, wondering who was this girl and why did she want to visit him. He picked it up and waited.

"Hello Dad."

His eyes widened and he said, "Nora?"

"Yes. Remember me? I am your daughter, your daughter that you raped?"

He just stared at her, shocked and perhaps even hurt.

"Did you ever wonder where I went? Did you ever wonder if I made it pass through the pain you made me suffer? Well, I came to show I did. These are my parents, and my boyfriend. They love me, they have helped me, which is more than what you had ever done."

"Nora, I-I am sorry."

"Sorry? You are sorry? Why? Because someone made you see it my way? Because you hope that in saying sorry to me you will get that black mark off your soul and be exempted? Do you truly regret what you did to me or sorry that you were caught?

"I am a famous ballerina, did you know? I made it rather far; I am bigger and better than the little scared girl in the trailer park. You know, I had often thought what it was that I did to make you do that to me." Nora stopped to take a breath, to try to keep her composure. "I always thought that I was the one at fault, but I wasn't. You were, and you made me afraid of men, of my own father. My father here," she indicates to John, "is the sweetest man in the world, and you made me afraid of him! I am lucky that they loved me enough to help me get through this, to get through you.

"I came to have you take a look at my life, how much better it is without you. I am not afraid of you anymore, and I no longer will acknowledge you as my father."

Victor felt proud of Nora, and squeezed her shoulders, and saw the smile on her face. But when her father said something, looking rather tearful, Nora didn't smile and shook her head. She let out a sob and said, "Goodbye, Mr. Abbott."

Nora slammed the phone on the wall and nearly ran out of the room, while her father tried to call her back, standing up and slamming on the door. He had tears in his eyes and had to be dragged away by the guards.

Victor and the Fields went to find Nora, who was sitting out in the car, crying.

Victor went into the backseat with her and held her hand.

"I am ready to go. I am feeling better. Please, let's go."

They went back home, Nora again was silent, and would not answer the question they wanted answered; what did he say that made her cry?

Nora sat in the garden alone while Victor looked after her through the window.

"Just give her some time; it was rather difficult for her." Susan advised.

The phone rang, John went to answer it. "Hello? No I am afraid she is preoccupied at the moment….Oh. Oh my. Uh, yes, I will tell her. No, I will go tomorrow. Yes, thank you. Goodbye."

John hung up and just stared at Victor and Susan.

"Darling, what is it?"

"Harry Abbott is dead. He killed himself soon after we left."

Susan dropped her cup and Victor just stared at Nora, who still was unaware of the news.

"Who is going to tell her?"

"I will." John left and walked out to the garden. Susan and Victor watched; John took Nora hand and told her. Nora seemed to be in shock, and then suddenly started to cry.

Nora wanted to be left alone for the day, and would not let anyone, not even Victor, see her.

The next day, Victor went with the professor to pick up Harry's possessions. The guard came back with a box and said, "Here you are, it wasn't much but it meant a lot to him. Man, he was very proud of her."

John and Victor looked inside and saw that it was all newspaper clippings of Nora; there was one when she was fifteen and made her first appearance in the ballet, there was one when she did the Nutcracker, and there was even one with Victor and Nora on a date.

They both were shocked to discover Nora's father pride in her. There was also a letter, a letter for Nora.

Returning home they gave Nora the box. "He clearly seemed rather proud of you, the guard told us himself."

Nora looked through the box, with a cold expression, not wanting to cry. "Nora, there is also a letter."

When they gave it to Nora, she just looked at it, looked at the child-like handwriting and felt the urge to rip it, but decided to read it.

She wanted them to stay; she thought they ought to hear what he had to say.

"Here goes nothing." Nora started.

Deer Nora,

I no that my saing sori won't make up for what I did to you, and it sholdnt. I just want you to no a few things; it wasnt your fault, it was min. I can't and wont explan it; I just know that I was to mesed up to take care of a little gurl. I know that you sholdnt have to call me your dad, I was never veri good at it, and I am sure that if that hadn't come betwen us, I wouldn't have been veri good. I am so happi that you had a great educaton and became somting better than your old man. I no your mom wold have been proud. I hav always been prod of you, and hop you can forgiv me becas I rely am sori. I do luv you and am sori for hurting you.

Your dad or whatevr you want to think of me as.

Nora started to cry. "He, before we left, he told me one last thing, 'I am proud of you.' I didn't want to believe him, but I suppose now I can."

Susan hugged her daughter and said, "It's over now, now you can move on again."

Nora nodded, "Yes, I can." She looked up at her father and Victor, and took both their hands, "I can."

Hope you guys like this chapter, sorry that this took so long to get to, things happen, but I ma keeping my promise. Thanks to 1zoo1, Shadows11, Lady Ekatherina de Mika, Gcucullu-0, MontyBoosh and xXRoseJacklynXx. Hope you all stay and continue reading.