Author'sNote: This Dark Shadows fic is greatly AU. I hope you'll like it anyway.
Introduction
Beth Chavez had been hired by Edward Collins to serve as a nanny in his home of Collinwood, so she could care for the two little children of his youngest son Gabriel. Gabriel had been left to care for his three-year-old son and daughter who were twins after the apparent suicide of his wife Isabella almost 2 years ago. Edward, who was a businessman, had little time for his son and his grandchildren, and it was his hope that Beth might somehow revive the happiness in his son who had been quite depressed ever since his dear wife had killed herself.
Beth had come to Collinwood and was introduced to the two adorable children, Jamison and Jayden Collins, who was also affectionately known as Jaydee. It was love at first sight when Beth met the little twins, just as it had been love at first sight when she too had met their handsome, yet quiet father. Gabriel hadn't been himself since his wife's death, and nothing had seemed to revive his spirit. The twins were dying for affection, and Beth was eager to give them the love and attention they both so desperately needed.
As time went on, Beth grew closer to Gabriel as well as his children. To the twins, Beth was the mother they had never known. As she and Gabriel spent more and more time together, her feelings for him grew. It wasn't long before a romance had developed between them... and for the first time in almost 2 years, Gabriel was smiling and laughing again. Beth too was blissfully happy, and she was fairly certain that in no time at all, Gabriel would be popping the question. She couldn't wait to be Mrs. Gabriel Collins and live here in this magnificent mansion with him and his darling children. What a happy life they would have; she, Gabriel, Jamie and Jayden.
But the happy life Beth dreamed of wasn't meant to be. Dark forces would have their way with Beth's plans for happiness, and soon all her dreams would dissolve into fearsome, dark shadows.
Beth had been working for a demon who called himself Daemon who served as a demonic slave for the King of the Underground, also known as Diablos. It had been Daemon who had insisted that Beth must take the position as nanny at Collinwood, although Beth did not know why. For some strange reason, Daemon had some sort of hold over Beth, constantly forcing her to do little "jobs" for him in which Beth truly did not want to perform.
But now, Daemon was making his intentions known. Behind the Rose Cottage, Daemon and Beth met in their hiding place. She had decided to tell Daemon, once and for all, that she no longer wished to do his dirty work. She was happy now and blissfully in love with Gabriel. She never wanted to see his despicable face ever again. Besides, Beth was worried with Daemon and his demon thugs always hanging around... she didn't want anything to happen to precious little Jaydee or Jamie.
Daemon didn't listen when Beth told him to leave her alone and demanded he leave Collinwood at once and never return. He only laughed at her, insisting she go back to Collinwood and retrieve Jamison and Jayden Collins, so he might take them to the Underworld and back to his evil master. Diablos wanted to see once and for all if the children of Gabriel Collins possessed any sort of supernatural power. The Collins family was known for their supernatural abilities as rumors had circulated through all of Collinsport that one of their family members was a vampire and that Gabriel's older brother Quentin was said to be a werewolf. Now it was time to see if that were true and if either of the twins possessed those abilities. Diablos had decided that if they didn't, the two innocent children would be sacrificed at Black-Mass, for that would grant him more powers of darkness from the Dark One. And if either of the children did prove to have supernatural powers, Diablos could harvest that power, making him even mightier, so that he could someday rule both the underworld and earth alike. Daemon, being Diablos's right-hand-man, was determined to return with at least one of the Collins children.
Beth was appalled at Daemon's order. "No, I will not bring you either one of those precious children. I love those two little ones as though they were my own. And I love Gabriel, too. I won't let you hurt him, the children, or anyone living at Collinwood. Go away, Daemon... and NEVER come back!" spat Beth. Her love for Gabriel and the children was so great that Daemon no longer had his thrall upon her. He could no longer bend her to his will.
Daemon and Beth argued, but Daemon would not relent. When Beth absolutely refused to do his bidding, he killed her in a fit of rage, slicing her throat with his demon's blade. He then drug her bloodied body over to the rose garden, where he buried her beside the rose bushes. He cursed her as he walked away, knowing he would be punished by Diablos for returning to the underground empty-handed. He would get to those children... and soon. His very existence depended upon it.
Gabriel had been very worried when Beth had not returned home that night. She had been gone now for two weeks now, and the children cried every night from missing her. Jamie and Jaydee loved Beth as though she were their mother, and Gabriel had a difficult time explaining her absence to them. He just couldn't understand where Beth might have gone... and how was it she had disappeared without a trace?
Gabriel had no idea his every move was being watched and even now, demon thugs were peering through the window of the nursery, watching Jamie and Jaydee as they slept in their little beds. It was Daemon himself who had his eye on Gabriel, watching him through the window of the Collinswood library, reading a book as he sat upon the leather sofa, trying to take his mind off of Beth so he would not worry so much about her. But Gabriel wasn't alone in the room; another presence was there... something unseen.
The forces of goodness had reached out from the great beyond to help Gabriel and his children. As Beth walked through the double doors of the library at Collinwood, she wondered at how she had gotten here. Surely she was no longer living as she could clearly remember her unfortunate death at Daemon's hand as well as standing over the mound of her own grave within the rose garden. "I am not living," Beth whispered. "Sweet Lord, I am a ghost!"
She looked down then, seeing her own body but her flesh was transparent, and she was floating about a foot off the floor. Somehow after her death, she had been transported back to Collinwood, to help her beloved Gabriel and his precious twins. There was no way she would let Daemon harm him as she saw those unmistakable wicked red eyes peering through the library's window. Beth knew that Gabriel and the children were all in great danger. She had to warn him now... and fast!
"Gabriel!" she called out, hoping he would hear her. Somehow Beth had to get his attention, make her presence known. She saw a book setting upon an end-table right beside Gabriel. Beth reached for the book, making it fall to the floor at Gabriel's feet. She had to get him to notice her right away. She had to make him hear her; his children were in terrible danger.