The rain that was starting to fall hit the concrete patio of the gardens several stories below. However, weather was the last thing on the mind of Count Guy du Pres. His thoughts were on the events transpiring behind a closed door just a few feet down the hall from where he stood. Hearing the door to said room open, the elderly Frenchman turned his attention away from the thin window he had been staring out of. A slightly younger man had emerged from the room, which caused the look on Guy's face to turn from one of thoughtfulness to curiosity.
"How is he?" Guy inquired, nodding towards the room.
"He is as you would expect." the other man answered, "Monsieur du Pres is extremely lucky that he survived the fall, much less a trip down a raging river."
"His injuries?" Guy wondered, not sure that he wanted to hear this.
"Multiple." the other man replied to Guy's dismay, "Of course, I did treat him on the plane flight here, but I think that you should reconsider your position. At the moment, he would be much better off in a hospital."
"No." Guy declined, shaking his head, "They could easily find him there, and finish him off. Leo will remain with me."
"I understand." the other man nodded, "Per your request, I also withdrew some of his blood before we had to sedate him. I can assure you that the test will be done under the tightest security, so we won't have reason to doubt the results."
"If you could start on that right away, Henri," Guy requested, "I would very much appreciate it."
"I will." Henri replied with a slight nod.
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Pushing the door to the medium-sized bedroom open quietly, Guy looked around at the room before entering. As he shut the bedroom door behind him, he turned on the bedside lamp to let some light into the room. He figured that since Leo was still sedated, the tiny bit of light wouldn't bother him. The light fell on the bandaged, unconscious younger man, and Guy frowned at the mere sight of him. Thinking back on the couple times he had been around Leo, the Count remembered how energetic the younger man usually was, and thought about how hard it was to see him in such a state as this.
Chuckling slightly, Guy realized just how concerned he was about the younger man when it didn't make any sense for him to be. After all, he had had no clue that Leo even existed until a few months ago. The young man had come from America looking for his father, which he had always been told was Guy. However, this was almost impossible as Leo had brown eyes while Guy and Vanessa, Leo's mother, had blue. As he remembered the pain in Leo's voice when he had informed Guy of this, the Count sat slowly down in the wooden chair next to the bed. The search for his father had consumed Leo his whole life, and he had expected that to end when he found Guy.
Out of the corner of his eye, Guy happened to notice the bandage on Leo's right arm where the syringe had gone in. Reaching out his hand, Guy gently ran his fingers over the bandage and sighed. Although the results were bound to be negative, Guy was having another paternity test done, as he had to make absolute sure that the only reason the first one had come back positive was that it had been tampered with.
"Ugh." Leo groaned as his eyes started to open. Guy's attention was brought immediately back to the bed in front of him. He watched silently, as Leo's confused brown eyes darted around the room, trying to figure out where he was. As they landed on Guy, the older man smiled back at the younger man. "Guy?"
"That was quite a tumble you took." Guy remarked, "You are lucky that you even survived, Leo."
"Where am I?" Leo asked, sitting up slightly.
"The Chateau du Pres." Guy said, causing the look of confusion on Leo's face to intensify.
"France?" Leo repeated, looking around, "But how did I get…"
"I had some of my security staff retrieve you." Guy explained.
"Why?" Leo asked, before realizing something, "Where's Greenlee? I thought that she'd be here with me at least."
"She's back in Pine Valley." Guy answered.
"Is she okay?" Leo inquired worried.
"Oui." Guy nodded, "She was retrieved from the cliff, as was your brother, Trey. They are both fine."
"Then, I don't understand." Leo said, looking confused at Guy, "If she's okay, then why isn't she here with us?"
"Because," Guy sighed, "because she and the rest of the world believe that you are dead."
"What?" Leo exclaimed, sitting up straight. His eyes widened in shock. "How come you haven't…"
"Called and told them where you are?" Guy finished as Leo nodded, "I have no intention of doing so."
"Why the hell not?" Leo wondered angrily, "Do you even realize just how much thinking that I'm dead must be killing them? Greenlee especially!"
"I understand that, Leo." Guy explained calmly, "But I have my reasons for doing so. You must believe that."
"No reason is good enough to put them through that!" Leo retorted, turning his head away.
"Not even saving their lives, as well as yours?" Guy inquired, getting Leo to turn back towards him.
"What are you talking about?" Leo wondered curious.
"Your mother is also presumed dead." Guy explained, putting a hand on Leo's arm, "Because of the way she died, her associates will want to hunt down the person they see as responsible for her death."
"Me." Leo guessed, looking at the blankets draped across his legs.
"Yes." Guy nodded earnestly, "It is for that reason alone that I must ask you to stay here with me secretly. This is the only place I can think of that you will be safe."
"But what about Greenlee?" Leo asked, "Can't she…"
"No." Guy said sadly, "Had she also fallen into the river, I would have thought about it. But since she has been recovered, there would be no way for us to sneak her over here that wouldn't be too obvious to your mother's associates. I'm afraid that Greenlee must stay in Pine Valley, and go on thinking that you have perished for her own protection."
"Right." Leo nodded, seeing Guy's point. If Greenlee thought him dead, she would have no useful information as to his whereabouts, and wouldn't be a target. "God! This is going to kill her."
"Your Greenlee is strong." Guy pointed out, "Give her credit."
"Still…" Leo sighed, "Wait. If they would go after my loved ones, what about you? Wouldn't they…"
"No." Guy said with a smile, "For some reason, they don't believe that you and I have a strong enough relationship that I would run the risk of hiding you. No one will think to look for you here."
"Idiots." Leo chuckled, "So, how long is this little stay of mine going to be?"
"I don't know." Guy replied, rubbing the back of his neck, "Interpol has promised me that they will do a quick a job as they can do, but it may take quite awhile for the threat on your life to pass."
"Great." Leo said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"I will give you some time to let this all sink in." Guy remarked, standing up, "How about I head down to the kitchen for you? Some food and drink should do you some good, no?"
"Merci, Comte." Leo thanked as the Count silently departed the room.
As the door shut behind him, Guy sighed and looked back at the solid wooden door. He could only hope that Leo was strong enough to survive the enormous heartbreak of being separated from his loved ones, especially his beautiful wife, Greenlee. Realizing that there was nothing he could really do to help Leo, the Count headed slowly downstairs to the kitchens.
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As Guy left, Leo reluctantly pulled back the bed blankets to take in his injuries. Both of his legs were in casts as was his left arm, and, from what he could see in a nearby mirror, his head and ribs were also bandaged up. It would take him awhile to recover from all of these injuries, but Leo knew the greatest injury would be the separation from his loved ones back in Pine Valley. He wondered what they were all doing now, and how they were coping with the fact that he was feared dead. Sighing, he knew that Greenlee had to be going crazy with grief. Leo knew that that's how he would feel if he thought that he lost her. For some reason, he suddenly remembered the fact that he had taken his jacket off while in the river.
"My God!" Leo whispered to himself, "That's the only thing they're going to find!"
The image of the distraught Greenlee receiving the still sodden coat from a police officer entered his head. As he could see the look of sheer anguish on Greenlee's face, he shook his head violently to clear away the mental picture. Looking towards the ceiling, Leo hoped with all of his might that Greenlee would be surrounded by their family and friends when and if she received the coat. She would need their comfort and support now more than ever. Sighing, du Pres only wished that he could somehow tell her that he was alive and all right, but that would defeat the purpose of hiding out like this.
Slowly, Leo's thoughts turned to his mother, Vanessa. He wondered what exactly had happened to her after the two had fallen. Leo couldn't remember seeing her anywhere after he fell, so it was possible that she was indeed dead. However, he had personally seen her come suddenly back to life after a supposedly fatal heart attack, so it was possible that she could have survived this too. And if she had, Leo wondered just where she was hiding out, and how long it would be before she resurfaced. Sighing, he realized that if she were alive, her return wouldn't be a question of if, but how and when. Clenching his healthy hand into a fist, he promised himself that he would do everything in his power to protect Greenlee from Vanessa if she did indeed strike again.
The door opened again, and the aroma of delicious smelling food reaching his nose interrupted Leo's thoughts. Carrying a tray of food in his arms, Guy kicked the door shut behind him after he entered. With a smile, he gently set the tray down across Leo's lap.
"I didn't know what you like." Guy said, sitting back down in the wooden chair beside the bed, "I hope that this is acceptable."
"I'm not picky." Leo assured, stabbing his fork into a chicken breast, "I'd be grateful even if it was liver or something. Thanks for doing all of this, Guy. I know that the circumstances of my stay are not easy."
"Think nothing of it." Guy replied with a smile, "What did you do while I was gone?"
"I thought about Greenlee." Leo said, "No surprise there, huh?"
"Oui." Guy agreed as Leo ate some of his food, "The stay here would be a lot easier if you did not have someone like Greenlee in your life, but it is a true blessing if you do have someone that you love so deeply. I would wager that the good far out weighs the bad."
"I can't help but wonder what she's going through right now." Leo sighed, setting his fork down momentarily, "I know how I would feel if I thought that I lost her. At first, I wouldn't believe that she was gone, but if they found evidence, like they're going to find with me…"
"What evidence?" Guy inquired puzzled.
"I had to take my coat off while in the river." Leo replied, looking at the Count, "If they sweep it for bodies, they're bound to find it. They'll just assume that I was swept down river and to my doom. It's going to devastate Greenlee when she sees it."
"It is unfortunate." Guy agreed with a slow nod, "Did you think about anything else?"
"My mother." Leo said with a sigh, "I can't help but wonder if she survived this whole ordeal or not."
"Do you want my opinion?" Guy asked as Leo nodded, "I believe that if you are this injured from the fall, than she must be far worse off. She may have even perished."
"Is it wrong for me to be happy if she did?" Leo wondered, "I mean, she has tried to kill Greenlee multiple times, and she's hurt so many people over the years."
"Yourself included?" Guy asked.
"Yeah." Leo nodded, rubbing his forehead.
"Then, I'm not sure that anyone would blame you for hating her." Guy said, noticing Leo's now bare plate, "Well, if you obtained anything besides the name, you certainly have the appetite of a du Pres."
"I guess I do." Leo chuckled before sighing, "I wish that you really were my father, Guy. I don't think my real one, whomever he is, could be as nice as you are."
"Hmm." Guy smiled, nodding towards a bottle of pills on the nightstand on the other said of the bed. "It is time for your medication."
As Leo glanced over the instructions on the pill bottle, Guy took the empty tray away from the younger man. He then made sure that the bed blankets covered the younger man, as Leo took the required medication.
"The doctor warned me that the pills might cause drowsiness." Guy said as he stood up again, "I will leave you to get some rest, and I will also see if I can get some news from Pine Valley for you."
"Thank you." Leo said with an appreciative smile.
"You are welcome, my boy." Guy returned, walking out of the room with empty tray in hand.
Lying back down again, Leo turned onto his left side and cradled his pillow with his broken arm. For a moment, he could swear that he saw Greenlee lying in the empty space next to him. He reached out his healthy arm to touch her, but she disappeared. He sighed in despair, before the medicine's side effect started to kick in. With a yawn, Leo decided to close his eyes and let sleep overtake him.
To be continued....
"How is he?" Guy inquired, nodding towards the room.
"He is as you would expect." the other man answered, "Monsieur du Pres is extremely lucky that he survived the fall, much less a trip down a raging river."
"His injuries?" Guy wondered, not sure that he wanted to hear this.
"Multiple." the other man replied to Guy's dismay, "Of course, I did treat him on the plane flight here, but I think that you should reconsider your position. At the moment, he would be much better off in a hospital."
"No." Guy declined, shaking his head, "They could easily find him there, and finish him off. Leo will remain with me."
"I understand." the other man nodded, "Per your request, I also withdrew some of his blood before we had to sedate him. I can assure you that the test will be done under the tightest security, so we won't have reason to doubt the results."
"If you could start on that right away, Henri," Guy requested, "I would very much appreciate it."
"I will." Henri replied with a slight nod.
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Pushing the door to the medium-sized bedroom open quietly, Guy looked around at the room before entering. As he shut the bedroom door behind him, he turned on the bedside lamp to let some light into the room. He figured that since Leo was still sedated, the tiny bit of light wouldn't bother him. The light fell on the bandaged, unconscious younger man, and Guy frowned at the mere sight of him. Thinking back on the couple times he had been around Leo, the Count remembered how energetic the younger man usually was, and thought about how hard it was to see him in such a state as this.
Chuckling slightly, Guy realized just how concerned he was about the younger man when it didn't make any sense for him to be. After all, he had had no clue that Leo even existed until a few months ago. The young man had come from America looking for his father, which he had always been told was Guy. However, this was almost impossible as Leo had brown eyes while Guy and Vanessa, Leo's mother, had blue. As he remembered the pain in Leo's voice when he had informed Guy of this, the Count sat slowly down in the wooden chair next to the bed. The search for his father had consumed Leo his whole life, and he had expected that to end when he found Guy.
Out of the corner of his eye, Guy happened to notice the bandage on Leo's right arm where the syringe had gone in. Reaching out his hand, Guy gently ran his fingers over the bandage and sighed. Although the results were bound to be negative, Guy was having another paternity test done, as he had to make absolute sure that the only reason the first one had come back positive was that it had been tampered with.
"Ugh." Leo groaned as his eyes started to open. Guy's attention was brought immediately back to the bed in front of him. He watched silently, as Leo's confused brown eyes darted around the room, trying to figure out where he was. As they landed on Guy, the older man smiled back at the younger man. "Guy?"
"That was quite a tumble you took." Guy remarked, "You are lucky that you even survived, Leo."
"Where am I?" Leo asked, sitting up slightly.
"The Chateau du Pres." Guy said, causing the look of confusion on Leo's face to intensify.
"France?" Leo repeated, looking around, "But how did I get…"
"I had some of my security staff retrieve you." Guy explained.
"Why?" Leo asked, before realizing something, "Where's Greenlee? I thought that she'd be here with me at least."
"She's back in Pine Valley." Guy answered.
"Is she okay?" Leo inquired worried.
"Oui." Guy nodded, "She was retrieved from the cliff, as was your brother, Trey. They are both fine."
"Then, I don't understand." Leo said, looking confused at Guy, "If she's okay, then why isn't she here with us?"
"Because," Guy sighed, "because she and the rest of the world believe that you are dead."
"What?" Leo exclaimed, sitting up straight. His eyes widened in shock. "How come you haven't…"
"Called and told them where you are?" Guy finished as Leo nodded, "I have no intention of doing so."
"Why the hell not?" Leo wondered angrily, "Do you even realize just how much thinking that I'm dead must be killing them? Greenlee especially!"
"I understand that, Leo." Guy explained calmly, "But I have my reasons for doing so. You must believe that."
"No reason is good enough to put them through that!" Leo retorted, turning his head away.
"Not even saving their lives, as well as yours?" Guy inquired, getting Leo to turn back towards him.
"What are you talking about?" Leo wondered curious.
"Your mother is also presumed dead." Guy explained, putting a hand on Leo's arm, "Because of the way she died, her associates will want to hunt down the person they see as responsible for her death."
"Me." Leo guessed, looking at the blankets draped across his legs.
"Yes." Guy nodded earnestly, "It is for that reason alone that I must ask you to stay here with me secretly. This is the only place I can think of that you will be safe."
"But what about Greenlee?" Leo asked, "Can't she…"
"No." Guy said sadly, "Had she also fallen into the river, I would have thought about it. But since she has been recovered, there would be no way for us to sneak her over here that wouldn't be too obvious to your mother's associates. I'm afraid that Greenlee must stay in Pine Valley, and go on thinking that you have perished for her own protection."
"Right." Leo nodded, seeing Guy's point. If Greenlee thought him dead, she would have no useful information as to his whereabouts, and wouldn't be a target. "God! This is going to kill her."
"Your Greenlee is strong." Guy pointed out, "Give her credit."
"Still…" Leo sighed, "Wait. If they would go after my loved ones, what about you? Wouldn't they…"
"No." Guy said with a smile, "For some reason, they don't believe that you and I have a strong enough relationship that I would run the risk of hiding you. No one will think to look for you here."
"Idiots." Leo chuckled, "So, how long is this little stay of mine going to be?"
"I don't know." Guy replied, rubbing the back of his neck, "Interpol has promised me that they will do a quick a job as they can do, but it may take quite awhile for the threat on your life to pass."
"Great." Leo said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"I will give you some time to let this all sink in." Guy remarked, standing up, "How about I head down to the kitchen for you? Some food and drink should do you some good, no?"
"Merci, Comte." Leo thanked as the Count silently departed the room.
As the door shut behind him, Guy sighed and looked back at the solid wooden door. He could only hope that Leo was strong enough to survive the enormous heartbreak of being separated from his loved ones, especially his beautiful wife, Greenlee. Realizing that there was nothing he could really do to help Leo, the Count headed slowly downstairs to the kitchens.
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As Guy left, Leo reluctantly pulled back the bed blankets to take in his injuries. Both of his legs were in casts as was his left arm, and, from what he could see in a nearby mirror, his head and ribs were also bandaged up. It would take him awhile to recover from all of these injuries, but Leo knew the greatest injury would be the separation from his loved ones back in Pine Valley. He wondered what they were all doing now, and how they were coping with the fact that he was feared dead. Sighing, he knew that Greenlee had to be going crazy with grief. Leo knew that that's how he would feel if he thought that he lost her. For some reason, he suddenly remembered the fact that he had taken his jacket off while in the river.
"My God!" Leo whispered to himself, "That's the only thing they're going to find!"
The image of the distraught Greenlee receiving the still sodden coat from a police officer entered his head. As he could see the look of sheer anguish on Greenlee's face, he shook his head violently to clear away the mental picture. Looking towards the ceiling, Leo hoped with all of his might that Greenlee would be surrounded by their family and friends when and if she received the coat. She would need their comfort and support now more than ever. Sighing, du Pres only wished that he could somehow tell her that he was alive and all right, but that would defeat the purpose of hiding out like this.
Slowly, Leo's thoughts turned to his mother, Vanessa. He wondered what exactly had happened to her after the two had fallen. Leo couldn't remember seeing her anywhere after he fell, so it was possible that she was indeed dead. However, he had personally seen her come suddenly back to life after a supposedly fatal heart attack, so it was possible that she could have survived this too. And if she had, Leo wondered just where she was hiding out, and how long it would be before she resurfaced. Sighing, he realized that if she were alive, her return wouldn't be a question of if, but how and when. Clenching his healthy hand into a fist, he promised himself that he would do everything in his power to protect Greenlee from Vanessa if she did indeed strike again.
The door opened again, and the aroma of delicious smelling food reaching his nose interrupted Leo's thoughts. Carrying a tray of food in his arms, Guy kicked the door shut behind him after he entered. With a smile, he gently set the tray down across Leo's lap.
"I didn't know what you like." Guy said, sitting back down in the wooden chair beside the bed, "I hope that this is acceptable."
"I'm not picky." Leo assured, stabbing his fork into a chicken breast, "I'd be grateful even if it was liver or something. Thanks for doing all of this, Guy. I know that the circumstances of my stay are not easy."
"Think nothing of it." Guy replied with a smile, "What did you do while I was gone?"
"I thought about Greenlee." Leo said, "No surprise there, huh?"
"Oui." Guy agreed as Leo ate some of his food, "The stay here would be a lot easier if you did not have someone like Greenlee in your life, but it is a true blessing if you do have someone that you love so deeply. I would wager that the good far out weighs the bad."
"I can't help but wonder what she's going through right now." Leo sighed, setting his fork down momentarily, "I know how I would feel if I thought that I lost her. At first, I wouldn't believe that she was gone, but if they found evidence, like they're going to find with me…"
"What evidence?" Guy inquired puzzled.
"I had to take my coat off while in the river." Leo replied, looking at the Count, "If they sweep it for bodies, they're bound to find it. They'll just assume that I was swept down river and to my doom. It's going to devastate Greenlee when she sees it."
"It is unfortunate." Guy agreed with a slow nod, "Did you think about anything else?"
"My mother." Leo said with a sigh, "I can't help but wonder if she survived this whole ordeal or not."
"Do you want my opinion?" Guy asked as Leo nodded, "I believe that if you are this injured from the fall, than she must be far worse off. She may have even perished."
"Is it wrong for me to be happy if she did?" Leo wondered, "I mean, she has tried to kill Greenlee multiple times, and she's hurt so many people over the years."
"Yourself included?" Guy asked.
"Yeah." Leo nodded, rubbing his forehead.
"Then, I'm not sure that anyone would blame you for hating her." Guy said, noticing Leo's now bare plate, "Well, if you obtained anything besides the name, you certainly have the appetite of a du Pres."
"I guess I do." Leo chuckled before sighing, "I wish that you really were my father, Guy. I don't think my real one, whomever he is, could be as nice as you are."
"Hmm." Guy smiled, nodding towards a bottle of pills on the nightstand on the other said of the bed. "It is time for your medication."
As Leo glanced over the instructions on the pill bottle, Guy took the empty tray away from the younger man. He then made sure that the bed blankets covered the younger man, as Leo took the required medication.
"The doctor warned me that the pills might cause drowsiness." Guy said as he stood up again, "I will leave you to get some rest, and I will also see if I can get some news from Pine Valley for you."
"Thank you." Leo said with an appreciative smile.
"You are welcome, my boy." Guy returned, walking out of the room with empty tray in hand.
Lying back down again, Leo turned onto his left side and cradled his pillow with his broken arm. For a moment, he could swear that he saw Greenlee lying in the empty space next to him. He reached out his healthy arm to touch her, but she disappeared. He sighed in despair, before the medicine's side effect started to kick in. With a yawn, Leo decided to close his eyes and let sleep overtake him.
To be continued....