Unexpected Consequences
"Now, let's see." Isis said as she lounged on the couch and inspected the sketch that she was working on. "If I move that cherub over here and change the leaves so that they're more of an oval.... and the shading should.... Is that the doorbell? Now who could be visiting me at this hour of the night?"
"Hello?" Isis said as she hurried to the door and opened it. "Who's.... Janette?"
"Isis, may I please come in?" Janette said as she looked up from where she was sitting on the steps.
"Sure. Janette, what's wrong? You look awful!" Isis said as she reached down to help her friend to her feet.
"I'm sick." Janette said as she struggled to her feet and grabbed Isis to keep from falling. The poor vampire really did look sick. She was much paler than normal, her hair looked as if it hadn't been brushed in several days and was tumbling loose about her face and the dress she was wearing was wrinkled and hung loosely as if it was several sizes to big.
"What?" Isis said as she shoved her papers out of the way and helped Janette onto the couch. "I thought that vampires.... Well, never mind. What I though was oviously wrong. You just lay right there and I'll go and get you something to eat."
"No! It won't do any good. I can't eat, Isis! I haven't been able to eat anything for the last month or so. I get sick and start throwing up when I try. I think I'm dying and it's Nichola's fault!"
"What?!!"
"This is probably what happens to Nichola's fleglings if they manage to survive being brought across by him. They get sick and starve to death!"
"Wait a minute. Fleglings? Nick? Janette, I think you better start at the beginning and tell me exactly what happened to you."
A little while later Janette said, "The next thing that I remember was waking up in the backseat of Natalie's car in Nichola's arms. He started apologizing and then he started to kiss me and undo buttons. I was so confused that I didn't try to stop it. Then when he left me alone that night, it hit me what had happened and I left before he came home. I was in London when I first started feeling ill. I waited nearly a month thinking it would pass before I came to see you. Isis, you have to help me or I'm going to starve!"
"You probably did catch something from Nick." Isis said as she patted Janette reassuringly. "He problably has Mad Cow disease or something from drinking all of that disgusting cow blood. Don't worry, Janette. You're going to be fine. Let's get you into bed and in the morning I'll figure out a way for you to get some food down."
"Isis, if you can't help me then...."
"Janette, you're going to be fine. We'll find something that won't make you sick in the morning. Now you need to sleep." Isis said as she helped her up the stairs.
"Yes, Minda, I know that vampires aren't supposed to get sick," Isis said into the phone, "but Janette most definately is! The poor thing looks awful and it's all Nick's fault! He must have some sort of disease from all of that cow stuff that he drinks and he passed it on to Janette. She's really sick. Do you think that you could make arrangements with the Community here to have some food delivered? If the poor thing can't find something that she could keep down soon I'm really afraid that she might starve to death. You will? Thanks! I'll be waiting right here for it. Oh, and, Minda, do you think that you could arrange to have good old Nick quarentined somewhere before he infects some other poor innocent vampire with what he gave Janette? Good. Thanks!"
A few hours later Isis came into the bedroom with several bottles of blood. "Janette, I have some food for you! I have lots of food! Surely one of these types will be toleratable to eat. Janette?"
"Isis," Janette moaned from where she was laying on the bathroom floor, "I think I'm dying."
"Janette, what's wrong?" Isis said as she hurried in and dropped to the floor beside her.
"I'm dying, Isis. I must be. I'm sick all the time,especially at night, all I want to do is sleep, I ache.... Isis, promise me that when I die, you'll go and kill Nichola for giving this to me!"
"Janette, you're not going to die." Isis said as she gathered up Janette and carried her back to bed. "Now you just lay back and we'll try these new blood types that Minda had delivered. I told her what happened, by the way, and she thinks that it's something that you got from Nick as well. She's arranging for Nick to take a nice long rest in the mental home even as we speak so he won't infect any other poor innocent vampires. Here. Try this."
"Isis, I can't!" Janette moaned as she pushed the glass away. "Even the smell makes my stomach churn! I think I'm really dying!"
"Janette, you're not going to die. I won't let you!" Isis said as she wrapped her arms around Janette. "Now try to take at least a sip of this. Just a small sip."
"Maybe a little won't hurt." Janette said as she swallowed some of the liquid and started to gag almost immediately.
"Well, that didn't work." Isis said as she helped Janette back into the bathroom. "Don't worry, Janette. I'll figure out something else. I won't let anything happen to you."
"Detective Knight, could I see you in my office for a minute?" Captain Reese said as he spotted Nick coming in the door.
"Sure, Captain." Nick said as he came into the office. "What do you.... Minda, what are you doing here?"
"Hi, Nicky." Minda said as she pushed her curly blonde hair out of her eyes and straightened the Star of David that she wore so that it lay flat against her tailored blue suit. "I'm here to get you."
"Detective Knight, your cousin is here to take you the hospital. It seems that when you were recovering from your shooting a few months ago you might have been exposed to Mad Cow disease. The doctors would like to run a few tests."
"And I'm here to pick you up to make sure you have those tests." Minda said as she grabbed him. "Now you just come with me."
"Mad Cow disease? Minda, what are you talking about? Did LaCroix put you up to this?"
"Uncle Lucien didn't put me up to anything. Now come on, Nicky. It isn't doing you any good to stall. Don't worry, Captain. I'll take very good care of my cousin." she said as she drug him out.
"Minda, let go of me!" Nick hissed. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Taking you over to the hospital for blood tests! I got a call from Isis last night, Nicky, and it seems that Janette is sick with something that she thinks that she caught from you. Now I need you to be a good cooperative cousin and come down to the hospital with me so that I can run tests and find out what you gave her."
"Sick? Minda, that's impossible! We don't get SICK!"
"Nicky, pipe down, would you? You're starting to draw a crowd. Take my word for it. She's sick and until we find out what it is that you infected her with, I can't risk letting you run around and risk infecting others. Don't worry! I'm good friends with the head of the psychiatric ward. He has a room all ready for you with nice thick curtains and everything." Minda said as she led him towards the door. "You'll be perfectly comfortable there until I figure out what you gave to Janette. Oh, hi, Vachon."
"Hi, Minda." Vachon said as he came in with Tracy. "Where are you taking him?"
"To the hospital. We think he has Mad Cow disease." Minda said with a smile and a glance at Tracy.
"You have what?" Tracy said as she looked at her partner. "Nick, that's awful! Is there anything I can do?"
"Don't tell Natalie, whatever you do." Nick said.
"Okay. Don't worry about a thing. I'll take your car home for you and then I can bring some of your stuff over to the hospital. I know how I...."
"I don't think it would be a good idea for Nicky to have visitors. He might be contagious or something. Don't worry. I'll take perfectly good care of my cousin. Come on, Nicky." she said as she led Nick out of the precinct.
"She's Nick's cousin?" Tracy said as she stared after them. "I didn't think Nick had any family."
"Oh, he has more than you think." Vachon said. "Believe me, you don't want to be anywhere near any of Nick's family reunions."
"Minda, do you have any idea of what Nick gave to Janette yet?" Isis said as she balanced the phone in one hand and several bottles of plasma in the other. "I've tried everthing that I can think of and Janette still can't keep any food down. I'm really afraid that if something isn't done soon she might actually starve to death!"
"Isis, I've been doing tests on Nicky for three weeks now and I can't find a single thing that Janette could have caught from him. He's perfectly fine."
"Well, if you can't find anything then redo the tests until you do! Turn Nick into a human pincushion for all I care! Janette's really going to die if we don't figure out what's wrong!"
"Isis, calm down! I plan on redoing the tests and I promise that I'll keep redoing them until we find out what's wrong with Janette. Nicky doesn't know it but one of the papers that I had him sign when he checked in here was a power of attorney saying that he was insane. I can hold him as long as I need him and he can't do a single thing about it. Now, have you tried sweetening the blood? That might make it a little more toleratable."
"I tried it but it didn't work. I've tried everything, Minda! I've even tried animal blood but she can't stomach anything! I'm really afraid that.... I had some plasma sent over. I was thinking that maybe it might help a little."
"It's bland enough that Janette just might be able to tolerate it. You could try and see. It certainly can't hurt. Have you called my father?"
"He's coming at the end of the week to see what he can do. Listen, Minda, I think I hear her waking up. I'll talk to you later." Isis said as she hung up the phone and hurried upstairs with a bowl full of plasma.
"Janette?" she said as she came into the bedroom and found her friend curled in a heap on the floor. By now she was too weak from hunger to even crawl to the bathroom.
"Isis." Janette whispered as Isis carried her back to bed and tucked her in. "Isis, please stake me. Stake me and end this. I can't take this any longer! Please stake me!"
"Janette, you're going to be okay!" Isis said as she wrapped her arms around her. "I promise! Now I have some nice plasma here for you. Try to eat just a few bites. Please?"
"I'll just get sick again." Janette murmered as Isis slipped a spoonful of the plasma into her mouth.
"Janette, you have to try it." Isis said as spooned more of the plasma into her mouth. "Please? Do it for me."
"Okay." she whispered as Isis continued to feed her.
"Janette," Isis said a little while later, "it's been nearly an hour. Do you feel sick at all?"
"No! Isis, does this mean that I'm NOT going to die?"
"I told you that I wasn't going to let anything bad happen to you, didn't I? Now you just lay still and I'll run get some more of this. It may not be the best thing to feed a vampire but it will do just fine for now." Isis said as she hurried out.
"Yes, Monsieur Paunteu, I know that I promised you that I would have that mural painted on your wall well over a month ago." Isis said as she winced at the voice coming from the phone. "I'm sorry! I've had a sick friend that I've had to look after though and... No, I didn't realize that you were expecting the French president for dinner tomorrow night. Yes, I understand that you don't want to have the president of France to have to see a half done mural. No! No! There's no need for that. I'll be over to do the mural tonight. Just let me find someone who can keep my friend company for a few hours."
"That man should be thrown in the Sienne!" Isis grumbled to herself as she hung up and started to dial another number. "I just hope that I can convince Amanda to come over because I positively cannot leave Janette alone! Hello? Amanda?"
"Hi, Isis." the Immortal thief said as she grabbed the phone. "What do you need?"
"Amanda, could I get you to come over to my place tonight to watch Janette for a few hours? She's sick and I hate to leave her but I absolutely have to run finish this mural tonight or Monsieur Paunteu won't pay me for it and I need the money to send to my sister to help the poor starving people in India. Do you think you could come over for just a little while?"
"I don't know, Isis. I was planning to go out to st... pick up a few things that I need. What's wrong with Janette anyway?"
"She apparently caught something from Nick. She hasn't been able to eat for weeks. I was really afraid that she might starve to death but I finally found something that was toleratable a couple of days ago. Amanda, please come over and watch her! I can't leave her by herself and I absolutely have to finish that mural! It won't be any trouble at all and if you agree to watch her, I'll tell you where you can find some really good things to make off with."
"How good?"
"Thief heaven. Now will you come?"
"I guess so. What time do you need me to be there?"
"Come at about seven. I'll feed her before you get here so you won't have a thing to do but keep her company."
"Entertaining a sick vampire. That doesn't sound too hard. I'll be over at seven on the dot."
"Thanks, Amanda." Isis said as she hung up and went to gather up her paints before feeding Janette.
*********
Isis had just finished washing the dishes when the doorbell chimed. "Coming!" she called as she ran in and opened it.
"Here I am." Amanda said as she hurried in. "So where's Janette?"
"Upstairs, asleep." Isis said as she picked up her art supplies. "Whatever is wrong with her has pretty much drained all of her energy. About all that she has the strength to do right now is to eat. It seems like she may be getting a little better though, thank heavens! Oh, Amanda, do you know Alexander?"
"Minda's father, brought across by the bratty baby vampire to annoy LaCroix? Sure. Why?"
"Well, he's supposed to come by tonight to take a look at Janette and see if he can figure out what's wrong with her. If I'm not back when he gets here, will you please let him in?"
"Sure. Have fun doing your mural!"
"I don't know if anyone could possiblely define working for Monsieur Paunteau as fun. I'll be back as soon as I can." Isis said as she hurried off.
"What an easy job this is." Amanda murmered to herself a few hours later as she headed back upstairs to look in on Janette again. "All I have to do is keep an eye on a sleeping vampire. What's could be easier? Oh, there's the doorbell. It must be Alexander."
"Amanda, what are you doing here?" the tall dark haired vampire who looked to be in his late forties said as she opened the door.
"Isis had to finish a mural for some crabby old man. She asked me to vampire-sit for her. Janette's right up here." Amanda said as she led him up the stairs.
"Janette?" Alexander said as they came into the bedroom and she started to stir. "It's just me. How are you feeling, child?"
"A little better. Isis finally found something that I could eat so I suppose that I won't starve to death after all." she said as Alexander sat down on the bed and started to check her. "Do you have any idea what's been wrong with me?"
"Not yet. Minda's still running tests on Nick to see if she can find out what he gave you. Are you hungry?"
"Oui."
"Amanda, why don't you run downstairs and see if you can find some food for Janette while I do my exam. I'm sure that Isis has something in the refrigerator."
"Fine. I'll be right back with your snack." Amanda said as she hurried out.
Fifteen minutes later Amanda came hurrying up the stairs with a bowl just as Alexander stepped out of the bedroom.
"I couldn't find the bowls." she said with an angry look down at what she was carrying. "I had to tear the kitchen apart looking for them. Did you figure out what's wrong with Janette?"
"Not yet. I took a blood sample to run tests on. If she were mortal this would be easy to figure out because she has all the symptoms of being.... Well, it can't be THAT!" he said with a laugh. "Just tell Isis to keep feeding her and.... Hello, Isis."
"Alexander!" Isis said as she came hurrying in the door. "I'm sorry that I wasn't here but...."
"Amanda explained. Like I was saying, I'm afraid that I don't know what's wrong with Janette just yet. I took a blood sample and hopefully I can find something in that. Until then, just keep feeding her and make sure she gets enough rest. I'll call when I know more." He said as he hurried out.
"Here, Amanda. I'll take that." Isis said as she put down her supplies and took the bowl from Amanda. "Thanks for staying."
"No problem. No where is that place that you thought I would enjoy robbing so much?"
"Nick's place. Good old Nick is stuck in the hospital until we figure out what he gave to Janette and I know for a fact that he never throws anything out. He's probably got storage rooms full of goodies that you would love!"
"Alarms?"
"They're nothing that you can't handle. For a cop, Nick sure doesn't know much about home security."
"All the better for me! I'll see you later, Isis." Amanda said as she hurried out to get a ticket on the next flight to Toronto.
"Excuse me, Doctor Reynolds," Natalie said as she spotted Minda hurrying out of the emergency room, "but I need to speak to you for a minute."
"Doctor Lambert, how nice to see you yet again. Now how in the world did my cousin get hold of a telephone to call you? I thought that I made sure that he wouldn't find another one after your last visit. Listen, not that I don't looove talking to you, but I have to run. I've just had a hard night and I want to get home before sunrise so I don't have to take the sewers. My answer is still the same anyway." Minda said as she headed for her car.
"You can't just hold Nick against his will!" Natalie said as she grabbed her.
"Well, I have a paper that says just the opposite. Now if you will excuse me?"
"You tricked him into signing that paper!"
"I had to! I love my cousin but he happens to have the attention span of a five year old! If I hadn't tricked Nicky he would have gotten bored and wandered off long ago and I can't let him do that. Janette's sick with something that she apparently got from Nicky and I can't risk letting him run lose possibly endangering others until we find out what it is."
"You don't know that Janette being sick is Nick's fault. Maybe those two people that she drained on the way out of town did it!"
"I thought of that, Doctor Lambert, but the results of the tests that you performed YOURSELF showed that they were fine. Doctor Lambert, while I'm certainly glad that my cousin has such a good friend, I don't think that you quiet understand my position here. I can't let Nicky go until we find out what's wrong with Janette and if she caught it from him. I can't risk letting other people get sick."
"Do you have to keep Nick in the psychiatric ward, though? I'm sure that if you just sent him home and warned him not to go around other vampires...."
"Doctor Lambert, in case you haven't noticed by now, my cousin has a problem with following any kind of orders. As a matter of fact, he always does just the opposite. I wouldn't be able to trust him if I sent him home. Don't worry. He's just fine right where he is. I feed him every night, he has a nice soft bed, cable and a VCR. What more could he want? Now if you will excuse me, I really need to get home."
Just then a nurse poked her head out of the door and called, "Doctor Reynalds, your father is on line one."
"Coming, Helen." Minda said as she hurried in and took the phone. "Hi, Dad. No, I was out in the parking lot arguing with Nicky's coroner friend. She wants me to let him go and I can't seem to convice her what a bad idea it is. So, how's Janette? Have you figured out what's wrong with her? She's WHAT?!!! How did THAT happen? No, Dad, I don't need a leason in the birds and the bees. I know how that stuff happens but how did it happen to Janette? Have you told her yet? Oh. You're going to do it tonight? I wonder how she'll take it? Do you want me to tell Nicky? Yeah, I guess it is Janette's place to tell him if she wants him to know about it. Does this mean that I can let him go? Great! He's really been getting on my nerves. Well, I better run if I want to get home on time. Good luck telling Janette."
"Doctor Lambert, that was my father." Minda said as she walked out into the parking lot again. He finally found out what's wrong with Janette and I'll be able to let Nicky go after all."
"You found out that she didn't get whatever she has from Nick?"
"No. She got it from Nicky alright but it's highly unlikely that he'll be able to give it to anyone else so he's free to go. You can pick him up tonight." Minda said as she climbed into her car and drove off.
"Alexander, what are you doing here?" Isis said as she opened the door.
"May I come in, Isis? I finally got the test results back and I need to talk to Janette."
"Sure. Come on in. You finally got those tests, huh? You really shouldn't send any tests to the place that did these anymore. They took two weeks to get the results back after all."
"I wanted to be sure that the results were correct so I had the tests redone several times. How is Janette?"
"Better. The nausea is nearly gone now. She's still weak but I think she'll be okay. What did she have?" Isis said as they went upstairs.
"I think I better tell both of you at once. Hello, Janette." he said as they came into the bedroom to find Janette sitting propped up in bed with a bowl of blood in her lap. "Isis says that you're feeling much better."
"Finally!" Janette said with a smile. "I don't know what Nichola gave me but I hope that I never get it again! Did you ever figure out what I had anyway?"
"That's what I'm here to talk to you about. I finally got the results of the blood tests that I did today. I'm sorry that it took so long but I wanted to be sure of the results before I said anything so you wouldn't be upset if it wasn't necessary."
"You know what I had? Well, what was it? I did get it from Nichola, didn't I?"
"Oh, he definitely played a part in what made you sick. Janette, I'm not quite sure how this happened but I've had the tests redone at least ten times and the results have been the same. Janette, you're pregnant."
"That's not possible." Janette whispered as the bowl of blood slipped through suddenly numb fingers and spilled onto the bed.
"Janette, I thought that it wasn't possible either, but they ran the test at least ten times and they got the same results every time. You're definitely pregnant." Alexander said.
"How? How could this have happened?"
"I don't know. I could run more tests but..."
Just then the door came open and Amanda came hurrying in.
"Hi, guys." She said as she dropped into the nearest armchair. "Hi, Janette. I see you're looking better. I just got back from my trip to Toronto. You should see the new TV that I picked up while I was there. It's got a wide screen, wrap around sound, great color. It used to be Nick's. I have the VCR that goes with it and I got some new paintings, well, technically they're really old paintings, too. Hey, why does everyone look so upset? Did I interupt something?"
"Alexander, this can't be!" Janette said. "Vampires cannot get pregnant so how can I be having a baby?!"
"You're pregnant?" Amanda said as she stared at Janette.
"Yes." Janette said. "Alexander, how did this happen?"
"Janette, I just don't know. I could run more tests to try to find out but I'm not sure if they will tell us anything or not and even if they did show something I might overlook it. There has never been another pregnant vampire before and...."
"How do you know that other vampires haven't been pregnant before?" Amanda said. "They probably all starved to death before they found out what was wrong with them."
"What?" Isis said as she looked at Amanda. "Would you please repeat that?"
"Well, if they were as sick as Janette was, it stands to reason that they all starved to death, and if all of the pregnant vampires starved before they found out that they were pregnant then people would naturally assume that vampires can't get pregnant. It probably doesn't happen too often, either. Maybe a vampire would be able to get pregnant once every few hundred years. I mean, vampires can't die. Why would they need to reproduce? That's my theory anyway. So who's the papa? Hey, why are all of you staring at me?"
"That's the first halfway intelligent thing that I've heard you say in the last five hundred years." Alexander said. "You might be right about that but still the circumstances required to conceive and sustain a pregnacy.... The odds would be astronomical that it would work!"
"Well, apparently it did." Amanda said. "So, who's the papa? Nick?"
"If I'm pregnant, it has to be Nick's." Janette said.
"Wait a minute." Isis said. "What about that mortal? Could it be...."
"No. It's not Robert's. Trust me on that. He couldn't father anymore children. If I'm pregnant, this baby is definitely Nick's. Pregnant. I'm really pregnant. How can this be happening? I'm not ready to be a mother! If it had happened an few months ago then I might have been able to handle it but now? What would I do with a baby?"
"Janette, you don't have to have the baby if you don't want it. There are perfectly safe legal methods to terminate a pregnancy this early. You're just a little over two months along."
"Terminate? I don't know. This is just so...."
"You've just had a big shock. Alexander said. "You really aren't in any shape to be making important decisions right now. Why don't I give you a few days to think about it and then you can tell me what you want me to do."
"Alright." Janette whispered as Alexander hurried out. "A baby? I'm having a baby?"
"Janette, are you okay?" Isis said as she came into the bedroom to find Janette staring at the wall with a blank look on her face.
"I'm fine. I was just thinking about what I should do about this.... this.... situation that Nichola got me into! Isis, what am I going to do?"
"Janette, I don't know what to tell you to do. I'll support any decision that you make. If you want to keep the baby, you're more than welcome to stay here and I could help you raise it."
"This would have been so much easier if it had happened a few months ago! Robert wanted more children. He would have been thrilled with this baby. Why couldn't I have gotten pregnant by him instead of by Nick in the backseat of Natalie Lambert's car like some stupid teenager? Robert would have helped me raise the baby instead of.... Why did this have to happen now?"
"Janette, have you thought of calling Nick to tell him what happened? Maybe he could help you out."
"Nichola is the last person that I'm going to ask for advice about this baby! He lost any say in this decision when he brought me across against my will, took advantage of me when I was too confused to stop him and them went flitting back to his little mortal world like nothing had happened! Besides, it's not as if Nichola would offer to help raise the baby anyway. Not that I would really want him to. His track record with his vampire children isn't the best and there is no way that I would trust an innocent baby to him. He would probably lose it or forget to feed it like he does with just about every valuable thing people entrust him with. No. This is MY decision."
"Janette, if it's any help, I think that you would be a wonderful mother."
"I don't know. I've tried before but the children were always older and there was always someone there with me to help. A baby is different. They need so much love and attention. I don't know if I could give that much to someone else."
"From what I hear, most people feel that way until they actually have kids. Janette, if you decide to have the baby, you WILL be able to deal with it. I know that it doesn't feel like it now, but you'll find the strength inside you somewhere."
"I'm not so sure about that. I certainly don't feel very strong now. If the circumstances were just different this would be so much easier! I do want this child, Isis, but what sort of home could I make for it? I haven't had the best parental examples in the world. My father was a noble who got one of the kitchen maids with child and then sold me into the brothel when my half-sister's betrothed fell in love with me instead. Don't even get me started on LaCroix! What sort of parent would I be?"
"A lot better one than you think."
"I don't even know if I could love a child. It's been so long since I've loved something that much. I should just go ahead with the abortion and get it over with. It wouldn't be right to bring a child into a situation like this with no father to speak of and a mother who knows nothing about raising children. I should just call Alexander have it over and done with. That would be the sensible thing to do."
"Janette...."
"Then I start thinking about this baby. What if this is my only chance to become a mother? Do I want to throw it away because I'm scared? I've been laying here for the last few days imagining it growing inside of me and feeling those first little flutters of life. Have you ever felt a baby kick? My friend Anna let me once and it was the most wonderful thing I'd ever felt. I'm not so sure that I want to give that up."
"Janette, you want to keep the baby don't you?"
"So badly that it hurts but I'm not sure if it's the right thing for the baby. I need more time to think about this."
"Take all of the time that you need and listen to your heart. It will never stear you wrong."
"Isis," Janette said as she came slowly down the steps clinging to the bannister to keep from falling, "I want you to take me somewhere."
"Janette, what are you doing out of bed? You aren't strong enough to be walking around yet! Do you want to fall and hurt yourself?" 'or the baby' Isis added silently as she hurried out of the living room and over to Janette. "You just let me help you upstairs again and...."
"Isis, I can rest later. Right now I need to go out."
"Not in your condition, you don't. Janette, if you go running around before you get your strength back, you'll just make yourself sick again. Do you want that? What's so important that you absolutely have to see it tonight anyway?"
"Anna's grave."
"Janette, that's long gone. You know that. The last time you looked for it, it was buried under an apartment building."
"It doesn't matter. Before I can make any decision about this baby, I have to go back and see it again. Isis, please."
"Janette, you aren't.... If I take you will you promise me that you'll be careful and rest like you're supposed to from now on?"
"Yes. Isis, I have to see!"
"Well, sit down then and I'll call a cab."
A little while latter they came into the garage of an apartment building with Janette leaning heavily on Isis.
"This is it." Janette said as she pointed to an empty parking space. "Anna's grave in right there. Isis, could you leave me alone for just a minute?"
"Will you be okay? Janette, you really don't need to be doing this."
"I have to. I'll only take a minute."
"Okay." Isis said as she reluctantly headed for the parking garage doors. "Call if you need me."
"Anna," Janette murmured as she settled down onto the pavement, "oh, Anna, what am I going to do? I want this baby! I want this baby so much but what sort of mother would I be for it? I know that I should just go ahead with the abortion but I can't stand the thought of never being able to hold my child in my arms and to tell it how much I love it! All of the things that you were never able to do for your child. Anna, I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to protect you but he was just too strong! What if I fail this child like I failed you? I wouldn't be able to live with that. What am I going to do? I thought that coming back here to deal with the past would help me make my decision but I'm still confused! What am I going to do?"
As Janette buried her head in her lap and started to cry, a golden light slowly rose out of the pavement and formed itself into pillar in front of her.
"Janette, don't cry." a voice whispered.
"Anna?" Janette whispered as she raised her tear-streaked face and stared at the light. "Anna?"
"It's alright, Janette." she said as the light slowly condensed into the familiar form of a red-haired woman. "Everything is going to be fine."
"Anna, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to protect you from Daviau! I'm sorry that I let him kill you and your baby!"
"Janette, it wasn't your fault. He was stronger than you. Nothing you could have done would have saved us. Don't worry. My baby and I are in a better place now. Right now it's you and your baby that I'm concerned about."
"Anna, I don't know what to do! I want this baby but what if I'm a terrible mother?"
"Janette, if you have this baby you'll love it and do the best that you can for it. That's all that any mother can do. You have all that you need to be a good mother. You're caring and compassionate...."
"Some people would debate *that*."
"Why? It's the truth. Thank about how you took care of me after Daviau's beatings. You have a good heart, Janette, even if you try to deny it. You're loving and....."
"And scared and alone. Anna, how can I raise this baby by myself?"
"You aren't alone, Janette. You have Isis. She's just waiting outside wishing she knew what to say to you to make things easier for you. She's not going to leave you, no matter what. Her sisters will help you too and who knows? Maybe that Nick person who got you into this condition will decide to reform and help you through it."
"Nicola? Not very likely. He isn't about to change after eight hundred years. I can get along perfectly well without his interferance. What about the community, though? I'm the first pregnant vampire that anyone has ever seen! I don't want to spend the next few months as some sort of freak!"
"You're underestimating them, Janette. They may not react negatively to the idea of a baby at all. Have any of the vampires that know reacted negatively?"
"Alexander and Minda are exceptions. Although, I imagine that Alma and her sister might like a baby as well. I know that Divia will be thrilled. She just loves things that are smaller than her. There are so few things in this world that are smaller than Divia. I'll probably have to call LaCroix from a safe distance to tell him that he's going to be a grandfather, though. He will not take this news well at all."
"You've decided?"
"Yes. I'm keeping my baby." Janette whispered as Anna started to slowly fade away. "Anna, before you go, are you happy where you are?"
"Yes. I'm where no one can hurt me or my baby anymore." she said as she faded completely away.
"Janette, are you okay?" Isis said as she came back in. "I thought I heard you talking to someone."
"I'm fine, Isis." Janette said as she stood up. "Let's go home and maybe on the way we can find a baby shop that's still open. I'm going to need some things soon."