Chapter five

Away From Smith's Grove

Jennifer's newfound job as a doctor at Smith's Grove indeed was exciting, especially with her living in the building. Every night at 8:00 she was called home, and if she wasn't there within five minutes, she lost privileges, such as off grounds calls or just going shopping by herself.

One night six months after the baby, Jacob, was born, she was working with a boy. He was six years old, and a complete case of catatonia. He had been brought in after attempting to kill his younger sister, the court had sentenced him to stay here until after she gave word that he was, 'rehabilitated'. Just three nights after his arrival, Wynn welcomed him into the circle.

8:00 came and the familiar message over the intercom played, Wynn's voice enthusiastic and clear. "Dr. Jennifer Myers report DH, Dr. Myers DH." DH being Directly Home. She sighed and gave the boy, Andrew, a dose of a sedative with a soft smile.

"Ok Andrew, sleep tight."

Jennifer made her way to the elevator and pressed the down button. Immediately it opened and she stepped in and hit the B3 button. She watched the lights... L...B...B1...B2... Bing!

She stepped out and looked at her watch, she had three minutes. A sudden cry sounded and she darted off in it's direction. Left, two rights, straight down, last door on the left. She entered and hit the button on the wall to indicate she was home, then moved into the nursery, a room in the back.

She made for the crib but froze, leaning against the doorframe. Michael stood, his back to her, their son crying, face against his father's shoulder. Michael was frantically bopping about and rubbing the baby's back, desperately trying to soothe the infant. She sighed. "He's probably hungry."

Michael slowly turned to her, his eyes behind the mask tired and hope ful. She smiled and stepped forward, taking the infant from him and going into the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle, screwed a nipple on and moved to the couch, where she sat with him. She fed Jacob the bottle, which the infant downed easily, and then burped him. Still active he swung his legs and giggled as his mother placed him in his rocker (almost like a walker only it rocked) where he played with some toys. She looked up and moved a piece of hair from her face. Michael was watching.

A knock sounded and she hurriedly moved to answer it, anything to get him off her mind. She greeted the smiling face of Wynn and chuckled. "Hey Dad, come on in."

Michael seemed to twitch irritably at this but he remained silent. Well, she hadn't expected more than that, but still. He didn't cause a ruckus or anything.

"Children! I have a surprise for you."

Instinctively Michael came up behind his wife, resting a hand on her shoulder. She didn't jump or move away, just stood. She looked at him, then Wynn. "Oh, Dad, no surprises."

Wynn smiled. "How would the two of you like to have a little break from the sanitarium? Live on the outside for once?"

Michael seemed to perk, catching onto him. She was confused. "Well," she looked at Michael then back at Wynn. "What do you mean?"

Wynn smiled. "You'll see."

"You fixed it up?" She asked as she surveyed the outside, holding Jacob to her via a sling.

"Mmmhmmm, and it's been bought under your name. Dr. Jennifer Myers."

She chuckled and looked around. "Say, where'd Michael go?"

"Oh he's already inside, are you honestly surprised?"

She smiled. "He came home."

Oh how she hated this! She honestly didn't want to be living in this house. She felt awkward and frightened and began to question her 'father''s motives. This house was sacred to Michael and for all she knew, she and Jacob may not be worthy. Two of her aunts and Uncle John died in here, as did her cousin Tim and his girlfriend Beth. It was a slaughter house she didn't want to be attached to. Half her instincts told her to just take off running, the other half was smarter, and she obeyed it and stood still.

Jacob squirmed and she gazed at him. "What?" She looked to the window on the second floor that the baby was straining towards. Michael was watching, almost eagerly. He wanted her to come inside... This didn't ease her discomfort at all, in fact her stomach's knots tightened. But the bond between father and son was unbreakable, the baby also wanted in, and soon fell sleep with his effort.

She sighed uneasily and smiled at Wynn. "All right Dad, he's gettin' impatient."

Wynn nodded and without a word moved to the van. He got in and as they pulled out of the driveway, his window rolled down and he called. "Oh by the way Jen, welcome home."

Oh god that didn't sound good at all, she watched them drive off and looked to the window, Michael no longer was there.

She moved to the door and opened it without a thought, stepping in and freezing to feel herself press against her husband's body. The door slammed and caught her foot, and she stifled a cry, not wanting to wake Jacob. She looked at Michael, unable to see his eyes in the pitch blackness, but the white mask shone amidst it. His hand rose to gently touch her cheek, and she shivered slightly at it. His long fingers came to press beneath her chin, feeling her quick pulse.

He stepped back, she had been unable to move before, and if she pulled her foot out now, Jacob would wake, and he didn't want him to, not yet. He unbuckled the baby's belt and lifted him from the sling, then went slowly up the familiar steps with him. He brought him into the newly furnished nursery and brought up his mask, laid a kiss on his forehead, then laid him down. The thought of his wife against him had sparked a lust for her that he had not dared feel since Jacob's birth. And an idea sparked in his mind... His mask... Kissing... Oh, God kissing...

Jennifer freed her foot quietly downstairs and looked around, though dark, the little light from the window revealed that the house was totally furnished. But her curiosity was sparked at her husband, and why he had so abruptly stopped touching her. She moved to the stairs and slowly went up them, her hand trailing along the rail. She was silent in her quarry for Michael, and once she reached the completely pitch black upstairs, she felt a pleasurable terror run through her like never before, she liked being scared.

Michael had heard her come up, and was watching her move down the hall from his place around the corner, once she reached him he grasped her arm and pressed her against the wall, his hand hit the lightswitch. She was gasping for breath and her eyes urged him on, she wanted him too, and this knowledge thrilled him. He took her pale hands into his and slipped her fingers under the edges of his mask, hoping she would understand.

She did, and slowly at first began to peel, then desperately ripped the latex from his face. She observed the pale, scarred flesh, though it was what many would call hideous, it really didn't bother her in the least. She saw his worried expression and lovingly caressed one marred cheek, it was an easy task, and she finally felt how much of him was against her, and she knew he needed her badly.

He dipped quickly and pressed his first real kiss to her lips, craving her fiercely. His hands slid around her back and pulled her to him more, he brought her head back and deepened the kiss, rejoicing in how she accepted him and indulged him in the sweetness of her mouth. His tongue fought hers for what seemed like forever, and he finally parted from the kiss, only to remove her blouse, which he had unbuttoned without her knowing it.

Her hands flew to the buttons on his truckers suit, and immediately opened it up and pushed the top half down and removed the t-shirt. Her hands ran up the expanse of his broad chest and flat stomach and he groaned, pulling her body to his in another hungry kiss, their bare flesh tingling as it mingled.

His hands moved to her slacks, not her usual attire but Wynn had moved their clothes while she was working, so she had been brought straight here with Jacob. Oh he was glad of all places they could be here as a family. And now she was going to be his again in the room he had once used as a child.

He finished undressing her and her hands finished up with him. Once totally freed from the clothes he lifted her from her feet, feeling his heart thud at how she laughed and gently slapped at his chest. "Michael! Put me down this is silly!"

But he just smiled softly and welded their lips as he brought her into the bedroom and laid her down, soon following.

Jennifer woke much later in his arms, relishing in the feel of him holding her. She'd been wondering if Michael would ever truly want her, and now she knew. Now she knew the real Michael, and she liked him. Perhaps a human truly could hide behind a mask. She sighed and turned slightly so she could look up into his face, he was sleeping, and the peace she could see on the form of his visage made her heart warm.

A hiccupy cry sounded from down the hall and she slowly wormed her way out of his arms and grabbed her robe where it was neatly hung on a hook. She ran down the hall into Jacob's room and lifted him from the crib, pressing his face to her shoulder and bouncing with him.

"Oh, shhhh baby. It's ok! Oh I know, you don't know where you are, you'll get used to it. Oh it' okay baby, shhh. Yeah, you wanna get something to eat, hmm? C'mon, let's go downstairs and get you something." She walked down the stairs with him and turned on the lights. She set him in his walker and went to the laundry room, grabbed a white nightgown and slipped it on, then the robs again. She grabbed a bottle from the fridge, warmed it up, put a nipple on and went back into the living room, just as a knock sounded on the door.

She lifted Jacob and went to the door, looked out the window to see a young man in his mid twenties, brown hair, dark eyes. She opened it and he nervously shifted. "Hi, my name is Tommy, Tommy Doyle. Can I come in?"

Oh God, what could he want. She smiled. "Sure, I suppose." She moved from the door and let him in. He looked around nervously and then turned to her.

"Look Miss, I'll cut right to it. You're in danger living here, especially with a baby, are you married?" He seemed to doubt she was but asked anyway.

"Yes, I am." She tilted her head. "Why would you think I wasn't safe?"

"You know who Michael Myers is?" He studied her.

"Yeah, who doesn't." She tried to keep her voice soft.

"He protects this house, he killed the last family that lived here, it was his home and it's sacred to him."

She sighed. "Listen Tommy, I know about all of this. And I can assure you, I'm perfectly safe, as is my family."

He shook his head. "Who do you think you are? He wouldn't care!" Color seemed to drain from his face as she moved hers from the shadows. "You... you can't be Laurie's.. Laurie's dead!"

She shook her head. "I'm not Laurie. I'm her daughter."

His eyes widened. "Jenni! Oh my God you little creep why didn't you say so! You scared me to death! Wow it's been a while. But you're even more at risk... Being his niece..."

She took a breath. "No Tommy, I was chosen, chosen to take Jamie's place only they wont kill me. I'm Michael's wife." Jacob gurgled and she showed him his tiny wrist and her own, both marked with similar runes to Thorn, but not exactly the same. "We're his only bloodline he doesn't have to kill."

Tommy's breathing was shallow. "Five years of love..."

"... A curse undone, a human brought back. I can give him those five years."

Both heard footsteps and she ushered him out. "You know too much, go and tell no one."

"Jenni..."

"Go!" She whispered hoarsely. She moved Jacob in her arms and began to feed him the bottle, cooing him as Michael approached from upstairs, his mask back on.

He sighed with relief, she was just talking with the baby. He tightened the robe bout himself and moved to her, draping an arm around her shoulders... He was beginning to really enjoy this little 'secret romance'. Jacob finished and she burped him and lifted him to lean against her shoulder between them. Michael's eyes met hers and she smiled, bringing his mask up just enough, then pressing her lips to his.

... It was amazing what could happen when he decided to take off his mask!

Please review! I'm reaching a pit of despair here!

~SA