Author's note: Here I am with the next chapter including some Grayson power again! Please enjoy and leave a review. :)
„Are you telling me that you lost them again?!" Conrad Grayson screamed furiously, jumping up from his chair.
"I am afraid… uhm, yes Sir." Mr. Jenkins, one of the members of Conrad's security team, mumbled.
"What did I even hire you for?! God knows what has already happened to my son while you kept looking for them in that damned village in Kansas!" He couldn't believe that David Clarke had slipped through their fingers again when just a little over two weeks ago he had definitely been seen by several people on a parking lot and Conrad had sent two agents to follow his track.
"We found out that Mr. Clarke's aunt lived near that town, so we…"
"His aunt who died that day!" Conrad interrupted the other man, boiling with anger. "Your job is to always be a step ahead of Mr. Clarke and not two steps behind!"
"Yes, sir." Mr. Jenkins looked to the ground.
"How do you think will we ever find that man and make sure he gets what he deserves?! He took my family away from me! Don't you get that?! My wife and son are with that terrorist and you stand here not even able to come up with a complete sentence to explain yourself!" His fist hit the table and he glared at his incompetent employee.
"I do understand that, sir. I'm sorry." He kept facing the ground, nervously playing with his fingers.
"Leave now or I won't be able to control myself." Conrad almost growled, so that Mr. Jenkins immediately turned on his heel, relieved to escape from the uncomfortable situation.
Conrad was frustrated. Daniel and Victoria had been gone over a month now and therefore the exposure of his own criminal actions became more and more likely with every passing day.
He hadn't been getting a full night of sleep for weeks and as he absentmindedly scratched his face, he noticed the stubble of his beard. He couldn't even remember when he had last shaved it.
This whole situation, as he liked to call it, was driving him insane. In the beginning he had thought that by now David would already be behind bars and Victoria, Daniel and him on a relaxing family vacation to save their marriage. However, things had turned out slightly differently…
The only good thing probably was that the media was still on Conrad's side, nevertheless theories questioning the truth behind the official story of terrorist David Clarke kidnapping Victoria and Daniel already existed. It was obvious that they had to find them soon or the whole thing would blow up and Conrad himself would be in danger of going to prison for life. And he definitely wasn't able to accept that. After all, he was a Grayson and Graysons didn't lose. That was one of the first things he had learnt from his father as a child and it had been imprinted on his mind ever since.
As if on cue the door to Conrad's office was swung open by no other than Edward Grayson followed by head of security Frank Stevens.
Before Conrad could protest against the unannounced intrusion, his father smashed a folder onto the desk, a wicked smile accentuating his lips. "We got them, son."
Conrad shot his father a questioning look raising an eyebrow, so Edward pushed the folder in his direction.
"Just take a look and you'll believe me." He opened the folder for his son.
Conrad sat down daring to glance at the first photograph, which was lying in front of him.
There she was, his wife. Victoria. He picked up the photo to have a better look at her. She doesn't look like herself anymore, was what was coming to his mind first. Only her hair was the same and even that was up in a bun. He didn't recognize his own wife anymore.
"They're obviously heading west. We've located them near the border to California. One of your agents took the shots to prove it." Frank Steven's sober voice tried to get through to Conrad, but all he did was staring at the pictures in front of him.
"Mr Stevens, you may leave now. I need to speak to my son about how we will proceed." Edward motioned for Frank to close the door behind him and sat down facing Conrad.
"Dad, why is my wife wearing Cowboy boots?" There was such disbelief in his voice that Edward almost had to laugh. Conrad on the other hand rather felt like taking out his anger on someone as he continued skipping through the bunch of pictures.
In the photos they were obviously taking a break from the car ride and Conrad couldn't help but wonder what that guy had done to Victoria. Her body, which he had always admired and which was usually put in the limelight with one of her bandage dresses, was now hidden under a man's shirt tucked into a pair of jeans shorts. Even more alerting was that her porcelain skin was pretty tanned and he could even detect sunburn in her neck. Victoria Grayson had sunburn. If he hadn't seen it for himself, he wouldn't believe it.
In the next photo he could also see his son taking a bottle of water from his mother. God, she looked so worn out. If he wasn't so angry at her, he would definitely be extremely worried about her.
And then suddenly David Clarke appeared next to her. Conrad skipped through the pictures like a crazy person and saw his son getting back into the car with David Clarke's girl until it was only Victoria and David in the focus of the picture.
The photographer had captured the exact moment that bastard encircled his arms around Conrad's wife and kissed her. That was too much for him. Conrad threw the obvious evidence to the other side of his office. He just wanted to kill that man.
"Calm down, son." Edward Grayson pulled him back from his hateful thoughts. "I know you want to make him pay and it's your right to do that, but first think about saving your family."
Conrad inevitably clenched his fists as the image of David Clarke's lips on his wife's appeared in his head again.
"Look at her, Dad. What has become of my wife?" He picked up a picture of Victoria from the floor. "He did that to her. He will be exposed as a terrorist, hated by the whole world and then I will make sure that he dies. I will make him suffer."
"Conrad, listen to me." Edward began calmly. "If you do that, Victoria will never come back to you. She will never forgive you for that. I've known many women in my life, but there's never been anyone quite like your wife. She's unpredictable."
"She will come back to me."
"She won't if you keep being so focused on your hatred. Look, you know, unlike your mother, I've always liked Victoria. She's strong, she has given you a son and she represents our family in only the best way. But she also has a mind of her own and can be very passionate about people she cares about."
"So you're saying she won't give up on David?"
"No, that's not what I'm saying." Edward sighed at his son's lack of understanding. "I said that she is unpredictable but she is also a mother. David is not the person she cares most about…"
"Daniel." Conrad almost whispered as he realized where his father was going.
"Exactly. He is the only way we can make sure that Victoria will give you another chance. You're his father, he looks up to you, you're paying for his education and thus he has to live with you and I don't suppose Victoria could bear being without her son. If you take Daniel away from her, she'll come back to you as your wife, no matter what that Clarke guy is going through. "
Conrad swallowed leaning back in his chair. He wasn't sure if he liked to use his 6-year-old son in this game, but as his father had pointed out it was the only safe possibility.
"Trust me. This is the best decision. It won't affect Daniel as long as he can live with both of his parents. And after some time Victoria will calm down, she'll forget about her stupid lover, you buy her whatever she wants and maybe you can also give her another child."
"What?"
"Don't tell me you don't even know her well enough to notice that she longs for a daughter. She felt lonely Conrad, you separated her from her son and left her all on her own in that house, that's why she turned to David. Another child can give a new meaning to her life and I've seen her so often doting on Mitzy Rubenstein's daughter although she despises that woman. I guess she's simply been too proud to admit it to you."
Conrad was left speechless by his father's detailed instructions to repair his marriage and gain Victoria's trust again. He also felt a bit embarrassed because frankly he had never noticed any of the things his father had just described to him.
"That could work." He cleared his throat. "But first we need to send David Clarke to jail and get through with the trial."
"But remember, don't do anything to him. His life will be ruined the moment he's finally convicted. No need to get your hands dirty. Just concentrate on getting your wife and son back without a scandal in our family." Edward Grayson squeezed his son's shoulder to make sure he received the message.
Conrad only nodded still feeling the hatred burning inside of him. "I'll take the plane first thing next morning"
"Very well. If you need any further help, just tell me. I'll stay here to make sure that there is no one to contradict our story." Edward Grayson got up and turned to leave.
"Thank you, Dad." Conrad met his father's surprised gaze. "For helping me with this case."
"Anything to preserve the Grayson family name. We're handling this together, it's not like this is the first crisis and so far we've survived anything. We won't lose." Then he turned around and left Conrad's office.
"A Grayson doesn't lose." He whispered to himself as he collected the photos from the floor, feeling pain every time his eye rested on Victoria and his son.
Amanda didn't know how long she already lay awake, but it felt like it had been hours now.
When she couldn't sleep, she inevitably had to think about Aunt Charlotte. She missed her so much that sometimes she imagined that her father hadn't been right about her death. After all there hadn't been a funeral and her Dad couldn't know if maybe she had been saved in the hospital. Still Amanda knew all too well that this was just a grieving little girl's fantasy and after a while she sat up and yawned before she decided to get out of the tent, which her father had bought. As usual he didn't explain to her why he had done that and why at least they didn't sleep in a hotel anymore. Thus the girl had spent many sleepless nights next to her father somewhere on an uncomfortable ground. This night however, he hadn't come to her tent yet and it irritated her not to know where he was.
As Amanda crawled outside it didn't take her long to realize that her Dad was sitting just some feet away leaning against a big tree. Of course he wasn't alone. The 9-year-old sighed because of her own stupidity for not concluding that if her Dad wasn't by his daughter's side, he would definitely be by Victoria's.
In the dark she could see that the brunette rested her head on David's shoulder and he had an arm wrapped around her body. Amanda didn't care if she disturbed them since they obviously hadn't noticed her yet, so she simply asked: "Dad, when are you coming? It's so late already."
Her father's head shot up trying to find the direction from which Amanda had addressed him.
"Shhhh." He hushed his daughter. "Don't wake Victoria. She needs the rest."
Although it was dark and no one could notice, Amanda demonstratively rolled her eyes. Her Dad was getting more protective over Victoria every day and treated her like she was some glass figure, which would easily break at every wrong movement. She really wondered if even Victoria herself thought he was exaggerating. For once she had convinced him today to let her drive the car for part of the way, but that conversation hadn't gone without a fight. That was another thing Amanda had noticed since they had to leave Aunt Charlotte's home, her Dad and Victoria now fought more often. Sometimes she couldn't help but had to eavesdrop and overheard things about Mr Grayson, Victoria's health or money for the gas station. What scared her the most however was that apparently they had no idea where exactly they were going. The girl had always assumed that they had a fixed destination and her Dad just didn't tell her, but from what she had heard neither him nor Victoria had a clue when this journey would end. It was a frightening thought to her. What if they decided to never go back home? Would she have to spend the rest of her life with Victoria and her son sleeping somewhere on the road? Only a month ago she would have been sure that her father would never do that to her, but now she trusted him to do the strangest things.
Frustrated she turned around to get back into the tent, but surprisingly her father's voice stopped her.
"Amanda, I know you can't sleep. Come over here." He motioned for her to sit by his side, but the 9-year-old hesitated. She still felt uncomfortable with his Dad and Victoria being so close. They had never spoken about the real nature of their relationship, but Amanda knew that it was definitely wrong for them to be together since Victoria was married to someone else. In addition to that, she couldn't get rid of the feeling that Victoria's presence was the reason for all the bad things happening to them. Her father and she had been fine before she had entered their life and messed everything up, so that Amanda constantly asked herself why her Dad never acknowledged that fact.
"Come on, Amanda. You don't have to be alone." David stretched out his free arm to his daughter, who could no longer resist his invitation and snuggled up against his side.
She glanced up to check the distance between herself and Victoria, which unfortunately was shorter than she had expected. It was quite scary, because she could almost feel the brunette's breath against her head. Quickly she looked down and noticed that her father's arm was not only wrapped around Victoria's waist, but also their hands were entwined and rested on her stomach. The 9-year-old was so confused, because she couldn't understand how her Dad and Victoria could fight and only some hours later enjoy each other's company as if nothing had happened.
"Dad, can I ask you something?" Amanda couldn't hold back her curiosity anymore.
"Of course, you can." David replied stroking his daughter's locks. Besides everything they were going through, he still had to smile at the thought that right in that moment he was holding the two most important persons to him in his arms. Well, three to be precise.
"I just don't understand why you always fight with Victoria and then you pretend that nothing has happened. I heard her saying mean things to you. I don't get why you still want her to be around." The girl already feared her father's reaction to her honest question, but she really needed to get that off her chest.
"Oh, Amanda. That's a very difficult question indeed." David closed his eyes for a moment in order to give his daughter a proper answer, which she definitely deserved. "First of all, it is true that Victoria and I fight a lot recently, but you have to know that we don't really mean the things you heard us say. When you and Daniel go to sleep we always discuss the issues we were fighting about and then come to a solution."
"Yes, but still, that is very annoying. You do all these things for her, but I don't see how she deserves that. Why do you do that, Dad?" Amanda raised her head to look up to her father. This question had been in her mind ever since they had left the Hamptons and she needed him to provide her an explanation. Maybe things would become clearer then.
"Because I love her." David decided to tell his daughter the truth hoping that it would help her to accept Victoria by his side.
"I thought you love me!" The 9-year-old pushed herself away from her father's body tears swelling in her eyes. The confession he had just made hurt her deeply.
"I do, Amanda." David pulled her back into his arms, surprised by her heavy reaction. "And you know how much I love you, right?"
Amanda sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes before she managed to answer. "Infinity times infinity?" She saw her father's blue eyes shining in the dark of the night and was overcome by a wave of relief because she had found the courage to reveal her feelings to him.
"That's correct. I love you infinity times infinity, Amanda, no matter what." David kissed her head while he felt Victoria moving in his other arm. "But you have to understand that I also love Victoria. It's not the same kind of love, but it is also very, very strong. She is so important to me that I cannot imagine a life without her anymore and that's why it hurts me to see you not accepting Victoria or distancing yourself from her. I want both of you in my life, or else it will never be complete."
Amanda stared at her father, trying to grasp the words he had just said. "But Dad, I don't think that this is possible… I mean doesn't she belong to Mr Grayson?"
"First of all, Victoria doesn't belong to anyone. Remember that, don't let any man ever tell you that you belong to him, okay?"
The blonde girl nodded, fascinated by her father's approach to answer her question.
"Secondly… well, you are right. Normally it wouldn't be right to be with Victoria when she has got a husband, but there are things in this world that you are simply too young for to understand. We all are here together, because I have to protect you, Daniel and Victoria. Once this is over, I promise everything will be easier and you and Victoria can learn to get along." David smiled at his daughter, who looked at him with disbelief.
"So you mean that she and Daniel will live with us when we come home?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I mean."
"David?" All of a sudden Victoria raised her head, woken up by the conversation. "I had this wonderful dream about us and the…" She was still sleepy, but immediately recognized Amanda's presence. "Oh, hi, Amanda. I didn't know you were awake"
"I… couldn't sleep." The blonde girl didn't back away when Victoria remained cuddled up in David's arm. She locked eyes with the brunette and studied her face trying to understand why her father had such strong feelings for this woman. Unfortunately the key to that realization remained hidden to her, so that the unsatisfied expression was still on her face.
"So, I think it's finally time to go to bed now." David suppressed a yawn. "I'll join you in a minute Amanda, okay?"
The girl nodded getting back on her feet again.
"Good night Amanda." Victoria smiled while she already had to think about how lonely she would feel without David sleeping by her side. Only now she realized how much their stay at Charlotte's farm had actually allowed them to spend precious time as a couple together, which had helped Victoria to calm down and focus on her health and the pregnancy. Sure, she appreciated how she could now care for her son, but she also missed the feeling of protection she had in David's arms.
"Good night." Amanda mumbled before she went back into the tent.
"You're such a sweet Dad." Victoria lifted herself from the ground and got on her knees to lean forward and press a kiss onto David's lips. "I heard you telling her about us and how she must never let a man own her. It's one of those times I wish I had met you earlier to have you tell me that." A sad smile found its way onto her face.
"Well, I think I came just in time to show you that there's another way to be in a relationship." David quickly rose in order to help Victoria getting up from the ground. He noticed how she wrinkled her face in pain and placed a hand on her back. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, it's just my back. It hurts from sleeping on the floor."
"You know what? Tomorrow we'll take a room in a hotel with a real bed for you. You have to feel comfortable."
"Maybe we can drive far enough and find something nice near the cost. I miss our walks by the sea." Victoria's face lit up at the memories of their secret meeting at the beach and she stepped forward to embrace David.
"Me too." He held her tightly and glanced to his tent where Amanda was still waiting for him. "So we have a plan for tomorrow?"
"We do." Victoria sensed that he longed to get some sleep, so she quickly kissed him good night. "Good night." David whispered before he let her go and they both joined their children in their tents.
It seemed like California could give them a break from the constant game of hide-and-seek they were playing. Unfortunately however they had no clue about the Grayson's new strategy, which provided a big chance for the other team to leave the playing field as the winner.
Okay I really hope you're excited for what's going to happen next now that they are in concrete danger. I am definitely eager to be finally able to work with all of the great ideas I had in mind ever since I started writing this story, I promise it won't be easy for Victoria and David. (I decided to stop commenting on the current plot of the show, so just ignore Season 4 in case you're watching and enjoy my alternate reality in which David is not a complete douchebag ;)) xoxo