"Dad!" Laurie cried out, then seeing Rick and Barnabas tending to him, whirled and held up her fingers in the sign of the cross. "Go, you Satan, you are not wanted here. I refute you in the name of the Lord."

Backing up, Blair's smirking face faded in front of them, then Angelina reacted by fainting.

As the Chief went to her aid, Laurie dropped to her knees, taking her adopted father's hand. "Dad, Dad! Please wake up, he's gone now, please!" Oscar's eyes flickered, then his breathing improved, giving Rick hope that the older man would survive.

"Laurie, you stay with him, I'll call the hospital." Rick put a hand on her shoulder then ran into the house.

Within minutes Rudy arrived with an ambulance and found Quentin and Rick had gotten Oscar off the ground onto a blanket on the porch. Angelina had insisted she was all right, so the Chief drove her home.

Examining him, Rudy heard Rick tell how Oscar had saved his life by taking the deadly energy in the chest, then he looked up at Laurie, her eyes glued to the older man's face.

"Missy, he's taken a shock to his system, but he's starting to recover. I'm going to take him to the hospital now. " She nodded, then glanced at her husband and put her hand on his. "Darling, I need to go with him…"

Rick covered her hand with his then saw her lip quiver. "Sweetheart, he'll be all right." At once she wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "Rick, Blair was trying to take you from me, he would have killed you but Dad…"

"I know, darlin'" Rick felt like crying himself, but he managed to tamp down his feelings and cup Laurie's face in his hands.

"Go with Rudy, Laurie. I'll stay here and talk with your cousins. We'll take care of this monster."

Laurie nodded, then took his hand and kissed it. Rudy had Oscar loaded and ready to go in the ambulance when the former OSI Chief's eyes opened, then focused on the doctor.

"Rudy, is Rick okay?" he murmured weakly.

"Yes, Oscar. Thanks to you. I'm going to take you to the hospital to check you out. Laurie's coming too for safekeeping while the others deal with Blair." Rudy explained, then saw him relax.

"Good."

Laurie got in next to Oscar after the attendant put him in the ambulance, then Rudy climbed in the other side and they took off..

Watching them go, Rick cursed inwardly at his lack of reaction to Blair's attack. If the Chief hadn't held him back and let Laurie handle it, what had she done to make him disappear?

Turning back to the house, he saw Barnabas and Quentin talking. As he approached, he saw the elder Collins glance at him. "Rick, how is Oscar?"

"He's awake, I think he's going to be all right. I have to ask, what did the Chief say to keep him from entering the yard, and what did Laurie do to make Blair disappear?" Rick asked, puzzled.

"That was an old spell to protect against evil spirits, normally said to protect a baby when it's born. I've heard he's said it for every child born in this area." Barnabas explained. "What Laurie did, I believe when Blair heard her words he was remanded to wherever he gets his dark powers. I believe she remembered those words and about making the sign of the cross from Kasey's journal."

Quentin nodded. "It wasn't enough to defeat him altogether, just make sure he can't set foot on this property again. That's why he said you couldn't disinvite him. You can only refute him if you didn't verbally invite him onto the ranch."

"Well, that's good. " Rick exhaled. "Now it should be safe for Laurie to come home after she makes sure Oscar's all right."

Quentin frowned at this. "Are you sure, Rick? I don't trust Blair, he's fixated on her. I saw his expression when she saw Oscar go down." Abruptly he lowered his head, his voice filled with regret as he added, "I should have done something, I stood there and let him attack you. Laurie showed more courage facing him then I did."

Barnabas put a hand on his cousin, "Quentin, I know you wanted to go after him, but if he was to hit you with the spell with the moon out…."

Rick looked at the two men, confused. "Spell, what spell. You mean he could turn you into a vampire, too?"

Barnabas gave him a grim smile as Quentin studied him for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind.

"No, Rick, not a vampire, something just as painful. Something I haven't been for almost thirty years. A werewolf."

Rick was glad he was sitting down. Okay, his wife was related to an ex-vampire and an ex-werewolf.

"You were a …werewolf? Did it happen like with Barnabas? Did Angelique make you a werewolf?"

Quentin almost grinned, then seemed to think better of it.

"Close, but no, not like that. A gypsy put a curse on me for jilting her daughter, then tried to take it off, but she was unsuccessful. At first my curse was put in remission, if you will, by the painting of a picture. As long as it existed, I was fine, immortal, but fine. Thirty years ago I was cured by Barnabas's wife, Julia. Now I'm like Barnabas, no longer immortal, but …" he sighed. "Vulnerable to Blair's evil, because he tried to convert me to his beliefs. When I turned him down, he tried to reinstate my curse. All he did was put me in a zombie state, which Barnabas was able to end, over one hundred years ago. That's why I froze, because if he had taken you out, Rick, I was next."

"Well, now, I look at it this way, Quentin. You took enough of a risk just coming here, to protect my wife. I can't say I'd blame you being afraid of Blair, God knows he's got me going." Rick told him, then tentatively offered his hand.

"Thank you, Rick." Quentin was genuinely touched, reaching out and shaking the older Simon's hand.

"You just hit the nail on the head, though'. I came to help make sure Laurie was safe, if he comes at her again, I won't let him get near her."

Barnabas looked at his cousin, then at Rick, and nodded. "That goes for both of us, and speaking of Laurie, why don't you go to the hospital and make sure Oscar is all right. I have a feeling Blair may strike again, and I don't want herto be a targetat any time."

At once Rick had an uneasy feeling, and he agreed, saying, "You're right, Barnabas, I'm going to the hospital now. I'll be right back."

"Take your time, Rick, I'm going to find the location on the map of where we stopped Blair before." he answered.

When Rick arrived at the hospital, he found Rudy waiting to speak with Doc at the Emergency Room desk.

"Hey, Rudy, how's Oscar doing?" he asked, then smiled when Rudy looked over his glasses at him.

"Much better, Rick. He's resting right now, I think he's at ease knowing Laurie's with him."

Suddenly Rick had an odd feeling, as if something bad was happening.

"Rudy, something's not right, I'm going to Oscar's room. What number?" he asked.

"Number twelve, I'll go with you."

As they rushed down the hall, Laurie was sitting with Oscar as he dozed, then she heard a voice, first soft, then insistent. "Laurie, come to me, come to me."

Startled, she stood up, then heard the voice again, this time threatening. "Laurie, come to me or I will strike your father down again!"

Frightened, she turned to look at Oscar, only to see him seemingly motionless, not breathing.

"No! Don't hurt him!" she called, then tried to get to him, only to run into a wall of flame that burst around him. "Listen to my voice, come to me now!"

At once Laurie found herself walking toward the door, hearing only that she must go to Blair to save her father. As she reached for the door, she thought she heard Oscar call to her, only to find she could not control her movements.

Coming out of the room, she headed down the hall toward the back entrance of the hospital.

Abruptly Rick was in front of her, "Laurie, sweetheart, is everything all right?"

"I have to go, Oscar's in danger." She told him, trying to go past him.

Rick grabbed her arm, alarmed at her not even looking at him.

"Laurie, look at me, Oscar's here darlin', what is it?"

"He's going to kill Oscar, I have to go to him. Let go, Rick." she said woodenly, trying to get away.

Rudy immediately went into Oscar's room and found him attempting to stand. "Rudy., stop her, Blair's got her hypnotized, he threatened to kill me unless she went to him!!"

"Stay put, Oscar, Rick's stopped her. He'll break the spell!" Rudy replied, managing to convince his friend to get back in his hospital bed.

Outside the room, Rick held tightly to his wife by the arms, then shook her.

"Laurie! Look at me, Oscar's safe, look at me, darlin', I love you,. I won't let Blair take you!"

At that Laurie forced herself to gaze into his eyes, then she gasped, finally recognizing her husband's face. "Rick, oh, darling, I'm sorry!"

He saw her shaking and picked her up as she buried her face in his chest, "Angel, it's all right, you're safe with me, love." He comforted her, then took her into the hospital room where Oscar and Rudy immediately had him put Laurie down on an empty hospital bed.

"I…I thought you were dying, Dad. I heard Blair's voice, then I looked and you weren't moving. The room was on fire, and he said he would strike you down if I didn't go to him. I couldn't stop myself." Laurie said, lifting her stricken face to gaze at her father.

"No, Baby, I'm okay, I saw the flames, then I heard him too. I was unable to move until you left the room." Oscar embraced her as she calmed down. Rudy got her a glass of water, then he looked at her, shaking his head.

"Missy, you're not to go anywhere without one of us. Rick, I want you to take Laurie home and make her rest. I'll stay with Oscar and then we'll come to the ranch tomorrow."

"Good idea, Rudy." Rick agreed, as Laurie reached out and hugged their friend. "We'll see you manana."

As they left the hospital, Laurie held tightly to Rick's hand then let him lift her into his truck through the driver's side door.

As he started the truck, Laurie put her arms around him and kissed him, saying, "Thank you for breaking Blair's spell, darling. I love you very much."

"Oh, Laurie.." Rick took his hands off the steering wheel, then cuddled her in his arms, kissing her hair. "I was scared I would lose you, sweetheart. I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"Yes, Rick." She sighed, then put her head against his shoulder as he put the truck into gear and drove home.

When they arrived back at the ranch house, Rick pulled right up to the porch as Barnabas opened the door, then helped his now exhausted wife into the living room. Quentin immediately hugged her, then told Rick, "Rudy called and told us what happened. Barnabas and I will take turns watching over the place while you get some rest. Chief Joseph will be here in the morning."

"Thanks, guys. I'll call A.J. and let him know I won't be up tomorrow. Darlin', you wait right here." Rick added, then dropped a kiss on her cheek as he went to the kitchen.

Throughout the night that followed Rick tossed and turned, haunted by the events of the past day. Finally Laurie turned in his arms so that she faced him, then whispered, "We're safe, Rick. You protected me and brought me home. Sleep, darling, I won't leave you ever."

"You'd better not." He smiled, then pillowed her head against his chest and finally slept.