This is the last original chapter. Updates are going to slow way down after chapter nine, and the story will cease being written soley by myself.
Chapter Eight
Danny sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He was sick of this game Clockwork seemed to be playing, and what ticked him off the most was that the ghost seemed to be enjoying it.
"Contrary to what you are thinking," Clockwork said. "I am not playing a sick game." Danny gave the ghost an annoyed look.
"Shall we continue?" The ghost asked.
"Oh sure," Danny said sarcastically. "Let's continue."
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Jazz was frowning as she watched Vlad sitting at the table reading a newspaper. She picked at the plate of eggs in front of her for a minute then looked back up at him. He seemed to be ignoring her.
She bit her lip then looked out the window. "Vlad?" she finally asked.
"Hmm?" he responded not looking up from his papers.
"I'm going to go for a walk in the garden," She said. "Do you want come with me?"
"I'm sorry," He answered. "I do have important business to attend to, but don't let that stop you from going."
Jazz's frown deepened and she pushed her plate aside and stood. She bit her lip and she walked over to Vlad and stood for a moment. He looked up at her in irritation. Jazz fidgeted a moment before she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Vlad smiled slightly then turned his attention back to the paper.
"Vlad?" Jazz asked as she picked at an imaginary thread on his shoulder.
Vlad sighed and turned his attention from his paper and watched her for a moment. "Yes?" he replied then looked at Jazz's hand on his shoulder and raised his eyebrows in disapproval.
"Are you," Jazz started then paused and removed her hand from his shoulder. "Are you angry at me?"
"No," Vlad said curtly then turned his attention back to the paper. Jazz remained where she was and Vlad looked at her again.
"I thought you were going for a walk," he said. He didn't disguise his displeasure at being interrupted.
Tears filled Jazz's eyes as her hand crept back over his shoulder and slipped through his hair. Vlad pulled away and gave her an angry look. "Go," he yelled as he pointed to the gardens.
"Wow," Danny said. "He goes from one extreme to the other doesn't he?"
Jazz covered her mouth with her hand as tears began to roll down her cheeks. She looked at Vlad a moment then turned on her heel and ran. Vlad said something under his breath and picked up his paper. He fidgeted for a moment then growled under his breath as he put the paper on the table.
"It's those eyes," he said to himself as he rubbed his hands over his face in irritation. "They won't leave me alone!"
He found Jazz sitting in a flowerbed in the garden crying her eyes out. He took a deep breath then walked over to her. "I'm sorry my darling," he said as he offered her his hand. She looked at him for a moment then took his hand and he pulled her up and into his arms.
He sighed heavily as she cuddled into him. "I didn't mean to be so cruel," he told her.
Jazz pulled away and looked at him a moment. "You have been lately," She answered. "Ever since we returned home. When do you even sleep anymore?"
"I do not require much sleep," Vlad told her coldly. "You've been tired since we returned. I've been busy trying to attend to a few facets of my business I'd been neglecting."
"You can't spend any time at all with me?" she asked bleakly as she met his gaze.
"I'm sorry Jasmine. It's just not possible," Vlad told her. "This is how life will be."
"Okay," Danny said. "So he's gotten himself in too deep. Now he's trying to push her away. Why doesn't he just send her home?"
"The operative word here, is trying," Clockwork responded.
Jazz held Vlad's gaze. "Have I done something to offend you? Is there anything I can do…"
"No," Vlad said shortly. "You've done nothing wrong." He sighed and closed his eyes as Jazz feathered her fingers across the side of his face. He was trying not to respond, but as soon as Jazz lifted up on her toes and brushed her lips against his, he seemed to have lost whatever he had resolved to do. He put his arms around her and kissed her feverishly. Jazz sighed as she leaned into him and…
"Oh for goodness sake! Clockwork!" Danny said as he covered his eyes. "I think you get a perverse sense of joy out of this stuff."
Clockwork chuckled. "Your discomfort is understandable. I'll try to be quicker in my editing of events in the future."
Danny cursed under his breath then said. "I don't want to see my sister make out with anyone, let alone Vlad. I'm going to need brain bleach after all this is over as it is."
"Shall we continue? Or would you prefer to go on about this a little longer?" Clockwork asked dryly.
"Let's just get to the point Clockwork!" Danny growled.
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"Oh give me a break," Danny growled as he surveyed the next scene of Jazz sitting in the grass with Vlad laying with her head in her lap.
Clockwork paused everything and looked at Danny. "I understand that you are under a great deal of stress. I also understand that many of the things I've shown you have put you in extreme distress as noted by your rudeness, but please show some restraint."
"You're right," Danny said as his shoulder's dropped, he didn't realize how tense he actually was. "I'm sorry."
The keeper of time seemed to take forever to speak again, finally he said, "What you are about to witness may make you feel very angry at first. I do question your maturity at being able to handle this situation, but you are about to learn something very important. I know that you are honorable enough not to misuse the information you are about to receive."
Danny gave Clockwork a nervous look then turned and looked at the paused scene of Vlad and Jazz. He swallowed hard then looked again at the ghost.
"I'll do my best to stay calm," Danny promised.
"Good," Clockwork said, then let us continue.
Jazz was sitting in the grass with Vlad's head in her lap. He was laying on his side, just staring into space wearing an expression which could only be interpreted as fear and pain. Jazz seemed oblivious to his distress as she ran her fingers through his hair. She was
reading a psychology book and smiling, seemingly perfectly content.
Vlad sighed and Jazz put down her book and smiled down at him. She finally noticed the look on his face and frowned. She blinked a moment then looked at her book. Jazz seemed to be thinking, considering something.
"Vlad," she said. "Tell me about your childhood? What was your mother like?"
"Uh oh," Danny said. "Jazz is playing amateur Freud. Vlad's going to catch on to what she's doing and tell her to go to hell or something."
"My mother?" Vlad asked his voice was cold and angry. "Why would you want to know about her?"
"Because I want to know all about you," Jazz said softly as she smoothed the hair along his ear. Vlad closed his eyes and sighed.
"There isn't much to tell Jasmine. I don't quite remember her," Vlad answered stiffly.
"Why?" Jazz asked. "Did she die? How old were you?"
Vlad shook his head. "No My Love she didn't die. As far as I know, she's still alive. She left my father and I when I was four."
"Where did she go?" Jazz asked.
"To be with another family," Vlad answered flatly. "People she loved more. She didn't love me."
Jazz frowned as she continued to stroke Vlad's hair soothingly. "How do you know this? You were only four. A child's perception of things isn't usually accurate. Maybe she felt no choice but to leave."
"No," Vlad said angrily. "She had a choice. I found her when I turned eighteen. I confronted her, asked her why she left me. She said because she didn't want me. I was flawed. I was like my father. She hated him. I was told never to attempt to see her again and that was that."
"That must have been pretty hard on you," Jazz said as she wiped a tear from her eye.
"I can't believe it," Danny said in amazement. "He's letting her psychoanalyze him!"
"I got over it," Vlad said then closed his eyes
"What about your father?" Jazz asked "Is he still alive?"
"No," Vlad answered bleakly. "He died quite a few years ago."
"You must have loved him," Jazz said soothingly. "I'm sorry."
"I did," Vlad said. "But he loved his business more. I came in tenth place in his life. I was raised by his succession of girlfriends. He rarely stayed with the same woman long. I don't know if it's because he got sick of them or if they could no longer tolerate him."
"Just when you got attached to someone they'd disappear," Jazz remarked.
"Yes," Vlad sighed sadly.
"So you were a good kid?" Jazz asked as she hid her distress and smiled down lovingly at her husband.
Vlad laughed. "I had to be. It was expected. My grades were exemplary. I was quite gifted. My teachers called me a genius, but of course I was a dork, a geek, a social outcast."
"That's hard to believe when people look at you today," Jazz said softly. "You're very successful."
"If I hadn't seen geeky college pictures," Danny remarked to Clockwork. "I wouldn't believe it either."
"Yes. I am," were Vlad's only words on that subject.
"Have you ever really loved anyone?" Jazz asked gently then smiled softly. "Besides me." Vlad turned so he could look at her face.
"Yes," he answered then sighed. "But she didn't return my love either. She was beautiful, brilliant, amazing, funny and everything I dreamed of in a woman. She was magnificent."
"What happened to her?" Jazz asked softly as she stroked his face.
"She chose someone else. Someone horribly wrong for her. Someone who couldn't possibly be worthy of her." He paused. "I'm not saying that I was worthy of her either, but I had the brains and could have given her so much more than he could have. She married him. Had two children and that is that."
"I can't say I'm sorry," Jazz told him. "After all, if it wasn't for her stupidity in letting you get away, I wouldn't have a chance with you."
"That my darling," Vlad almost laughed. "Is an understatement."
"Well duh," Danny said trying to not sound too smug. "Especially considering that she's Jazz's mother!"
"So then what did you do?" Jazz asked.
"Plotted," Vlad answered. "I plotted and planned to win her from the idiot she married, but she doesn't care for me. She thinks I'm a creep."
"She doesn't just think it Vlad," Danny laughed. "She knows it! Like you said my Mom is smart, she sees right through you." Clockwork gave him a pained look so Danny shut up.
"I met her son though," Vlad said brightening a little. "He's a lot like me. He's bright and talented and has such amazing potential. I thought perhaps I could win him away from his parents, make him my son. I'd never wanted a son before. It never occurred to me how utterly gratifying it would be to have someone take after you. It was an added bonus that he was her son, but he hates me as well…with good cause it would seem."
"Wow Vlad is the king of understatement today. I hate him with very, very good cause the ba.." Danny trailed off and laughed nervously at Clockwork as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Sorry," he said. Clockwork only nodded his head.
"It must be hard," Jazz said. "To always feel as though you are rejected. Do you think that perhaps, you have entered into relationship where you knew you would be rejected so you could justify your self loathing?"
Vlad sat up and looked at Jazz incredulously. "Self loathing?" he said I shock. "There is no one who loves me more than I love myself."
Jazz nodded her head a little. "And you wanted those people to love you, because you are so wonderful and so deserving of their care. But, perhaps you want to hurt them a little too? To own them so they can't leave you? Maybe it wasn't them you loved so much as you loved the idea of them."
Vlad withdrew from Jazz, the topic of conversation obviously making him uncomfortable. "I think," she said. "if you had their love, Your interest in them would wane. You'd want to own them, but still you would be empty inside."
Vlad's brow furrowed. "You are very insightful my dear, but very cruel for pointing this out to me."
Jazz shook her head and blinked at Vlad. "No," she said. "I don't mean to be. I'm just trying to show you that forcing someone to love you is hollow, without meaning, tiresome. I'm glad you found it in your heart to love me."
"Why," Vlad asked warily.
"Because you don't have to settle for an illusion anymore," Jazz said as she leaned forward and kissed the corner of his mouth then pulled a small distance away. "Because I love you oh so much more than you could ever love yourself."
Vlad took in a deep hissing breath then pulled Jazz to him and kissed her with an almost punishing intensity, then he pushed her from him, stood and practically ran away, leaving a dazed and confused Jazz in his wake.
"Ooo!" Danny said. "She struck a major blow without even realizing it huh?"
"It would appear yes," Clockwork answered.
Danny shook his head. "I almost feel sorry for Vlad. I've always been sure that my parents love me. I know Sam and Tuck love me. To live such a barren existence like Vlad has, well I guess it would be a miracle if he wasn't totally twisted."
"Do you believe he is beyond redemption?" Clockwork asked. "Do you think Jazz could save him?"
Danny thought for a moment, "Maybe if the situation were real Clockwork, but you seem to be forgetting just like Vlad, that none of this is real. She doesn't love him, he's just setting himself up for rejection again." Danny frowned, he never thought he would feel such pity for Vlad.
"I do not seek to anger you," Clockwork began. "But the potion would not work as well as it does if the potential wasn't there."
"That's only because Jazz is a great person with a huge heart," Danny countered. "Don't you dare try to sell me the story that her love for Vlad is true, because it's not. Even so, she deserves more and better than an emotionally crippled old man."
"But ask yourself," Clockwork said. "Who could give your sister more than he can? Can't you see the depth of his feelings for her?"
"Again," Danny started. "Not real! It's not real! You of all people should be able to tell real from fake!"
"All right," Clockwork said. "We'll continue."
"Lets," Danny growled. "Because I'm having trouble keeping my cool with this line of conversation."
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Vlad seemed upset as he paced back and forth in his study. He paused for a moment then opened up his college year book. The book fell open to a very well worn page.
"Maddie," he said as he stroked his fingers over the picture. "I don't know what to do. I'm trying so hard to push her away. I'm trying so hard not to feel for her, but every time I look into her eyes, it becomes harder for me to remember that this isn't real." He paused then smiled.
"Does he always talk to my mom like that?" Danny asked. Clockwork didn't answer.
"Maddie you've given me a brilliant idea." Vlad smiled evilly as he closed the book and put it back on the shelf. He nearly jumped out of his skin as Jazz opened the door. The forbidding look he wore was enough to keep her away.
"I'm going to bed," she told him softly. "I was just wondering if there is anything you needed before I go."
Vlad smiled at her a moment, then looked back at the book shelf. "Of course there is something I need from you my sweetest," he said as he moved toward her.
Jazz who had been standing at the door walked further into the room. She looked at Vlad expectantly. He stopped in front of her and picked up a lock of her hair. Jazz watched Vlad questioningly.
"Tomorrow," he said then looked thoughtful. "Someone is going to come and fix your hair."
Jazz gave Vlad a strange look. "Fix my hair?" she asked as she smoothed her hands over her long vibrantly red hair. "Why? Is it broken?"
Vlad smiled at her. "Trust me Jasmine. Do you trust me?"
"Of course," Jazz answered as she watched his face..
"Good," Vlad said then turned her around and ushered her out of the room. "I will see you in the morning then. Sleep well."
Jazz looked a little stunned as she was placed out in the hall and Vlad was moving away from her. "Wait!" she said in exasperation. Vlad turned, but he wouldn't look at her. She narrowed her eyes and sighed.
"Do we have to go through this again?" Jazz asked almost angrily. Vlad looked at her and sighed.
"I am a very busy man Jasmine," he told her. "I simply do not have time to hold your hand all the time." Jazz looked at him a moment.
"Uh oh," Danny said. "She's mad. Vlad's in trouble."
"You told me something different in San Tropez," Jazz said angrily. "And in Costa Rica."
Vlad looked at her a moment. "And now we are home and I have business to attend to. I cannot and will not spend my days entertaining you."
Jazz folded her arms across her chest. "And what about yesterday, when we talked about your childhood?" She asked. "You had time to talk to me then. Maybe it was too much for you. I think you're scared of me!"
Vlad's eyes glittered dangerously and he stepped toward Jazz. She narrowed her eyes at him and they stood glaring at each other.
"Why should I be frightened of you?" Vlad asked in a tone which would send most people running in fear. Jazz stood and faced him.
"Because you're scared I'm going to stop loving you, so you want to beat me to the punch." She answered. "But you're hurting me. Don't you care?"
Vlad shook his head. "Jasmine," he said softly. "I don't want to play mind games right now. Go to bed."
"Not without you!" Jazz said fiercely. Vlad tried to stare her down but she stood her ground.
"You are an infuriating woman!" Vlad growled.
"And you like it!" Jazz laughed as she took him by the hand and pulled him from the room.
"Whoa!" Danny yelled. "Hold up! We're venturing into an area of extreme wrongitude!"
"Wrongitude is not a word," Clockwork said sharply.
Danny looked at the ghost and laughed. "Whatever. I don't want to see this. I assume the purpose of this scene was to show that Vlad is still trying to not love Jazz. Okay I get the point. Can we move on now?"
"Certainly," Clockwork said. "Moving on."
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I hope my version of Vlad's past wasn't too lame, I'm trying to give him a motivation for his actions and give him a little humanity. We're only going to remain in this scenario a little longer in fact the next chapter will take us away from Vlad and Jazz's past for awhile..Whew.
So can you review?