Chapter Two: The Wreckage
As Barnabas held Josette's hand he had to look toward her and ask, "How is it possible?"
Josette smiled, dimly, "How is what possible?"
"You've come back to me, Josette. How is that possible?"
They traversed the grasses, heading toward the fiery destination of a crumbling Collinwood, knowing their loved ones would be outside it, knowing they would have to care for those loved ones who would be looking for guidance.
"Barnabas," Josette began, looking down at her feet as they walked and thinking it over, "You longed for me all of that time you were underground… and I felt it. I maintained all that love we held together long ago. When I was born once more… there was no consideration to leading any other life than this one. Our destinies are one. We are left to nothing else... In this life I learned that, not only were you calling to me, I was calling to you. That's why I had to leave the place I was born. I had to come back to Collinwood. I had to continue that life we hadn't shared together. I had to find you again."
They continued toward the burning wreckage of Collinwood. Barnabas was briefly sated but not completely satisfied with her answer, "That explains the love but not the ability," he murmured.
Josette smirked a giggle, "Perhaps it's something David's mother can tell you. I'm not sure that I can. I am more complicated than someone who is living in ghostly form alone. I've lived a life of multiplicity… one that I barely understand myself."
"All right. I will believe you utterly, my Josette", Barnabas spoke. He raised her hand and kissed it, wanting nothing to change what he was experiencing. Barnabas couldn't question her, he had only to confess his abeyance.
"As well you should, my love," she expressed.
Of course, none of these words palled the memories of the Collins Family they reached who were desperately seeking any answer. The question had already been asked by young David Collins, "What are we going to do now?" and Elizabeth Stoddard had answered him, "What we've always done: Endure."
As the ruins of Collinwood were before them, Barnabas and Josette approached their family, hand in hand. Their heels clicked on the stone working beneath their feet.
Elizabeth, wavy blonde hair aflutter, raised an eyebrow to her cousin, Barnabas Collins, and asked, "I hope you have an answer to how we're going to deal with this."
Josette duPres smiled and said, "I have an answer, Elizabeth. It is The Old House."
"What Old House?" Elizabeth Stoddard wondered to her.
"Oh, it's there, beyond those trees," Josette pointed beyond their view point into the forest, "We will have to rebuild Collinwood from this wreckage, but rest assured… we will… Endure…"
Elizabeth held her daughter and nephew in her arms, "That's exactly what we will do, Miss Winters: Endure."
And so they went, Barnabas, Josette, Elizabeth, Carolyn and David, into the woods and toward The Old House...