-1The Best Kept Secret Chapter 4 - REWRITE



Rebecca stood outside at the door and walked into her fathers office "I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt you all. I was just looking around. I was wondering where I could find something to drink ?"
Mick noticing that Josef wanted to speak to him privately spoke up " Beth, why don't take Rebecca to the kitchen so that she can find something to drink."
Beth replied "Ok, uh, where is the kitchen?"
Mick pointed to the direction as he responded "It's just down that hallway to the left ." Beth nodded then replied " Sure Mick, we'll be right back. Come on Rebecca, lets let them discuss their business "

Beth and Rebecca headed toward the kitchen and Mick shut the door behind them. He turned to Josef "Come on Josef, you're obviously concerned about Rebecca so just tell me what it is already." Josef smirked at Mick then replied "You're senses must be a little off today, because there's nothing wrong"

Mick studied Josef's face then replied back "Actually Josef, my senses are NEVER off, especially where you are concerned. Plus I have enough experience with you to know when you're keeping something hidden, so come on what is it ? I can't help you unless you talk to me." Josef just sighed then spoke " Look this has to stay between us right now okay. Mick just nodded in silent agreement and waited for Josef to continue." Like I said earlier Mick, Rebecca inherited some of my traits as expected. Her inner vampire has always been there, I can sense it and I know it's going to start coming out. I can smell it on her it's light and you can barely detect it but I know it's there and so do you. Can't you smell it on her faintly ?

Mick again nodded and replied. "Josef it's there and if I can smell it I'm sure others can to. I just can't believe you never told her ?" Josef continued "Rebecca knows on some level that she's different from me she just doesn't know how different but then again she may actually have suspected it a while ago but never wanted to admit it. The problem is I have to make her understand and help her deal with what is happening to her. "

Mick looked at Josef and chided "How could you have keep her a secret all these years? I can't believe you never told me!"
Josef shook his head trying to make sense of the situation in his mind. "Mick please I'm admitting to you I made a mistake by not telling her everything, I admit I may have made a mistake by not telling you but if you think about it keeping her hidden away HAS kept her safe all these years.
When John Whitley did what he did and sent that guy to try and kill me. I realized right then that I couldn't keep her or Sara safe by myself in New York anymore. I made the decision to take her out of New York and keep her with me in LA. When she asked me if she could come back with me to Los Angeles my decision had already been made, but we have to ease her into our world, and with that I'm going to need help. Lots of help. She needs to be watched, she can't be doing the things she did in New York, which was apparently sneaking out of the house at all hours of the night, without the staff knowing about it and anything could have happened."

Mick eyed Josef then responded "Josef you can't keep her locked away here like you did in New York. I'm telling you it will backfire on you if you don't let her be herself. Why don't you just talk to her, she may just surprise you. But, she is going to have to learn the rules of the community and that is something my friend that will not be an easy task and I do not envy you one bit." Mick chuckled.

"Why would you say that?" Josef asked
Mick tried to stiffle his amusement "Because Josef, from what I can tell she has alot of YOU in her!"
Josef snickered "Ha. Ha. Very funny. We'll see who's laughing when I leave her at your door to "babysit !"

Mick responded "Well before you leave her with anyone Josef, you might want to start letting her meet people like Simone who could actually be good influence . There is no time like the present. Simone could be helpful to her and she can help you at the same time." Mick shrugged then added "You know you always could introduce her to Logan and Guillermo."

Josef looked at Mick like he had 3 heads and said "Simone I agree with, but you have to be OUT OF YOUR MIND if you think for one minute, I'm going to let either Logan OR Guillermo anywhere NEAR my little girl. OR, any other male species, for that matter vampire OR human. Absolutely. Out. Of. The. Question!"
Mick just laughed at Josef's initiation into fatherhood and said "Spoken like a typical father, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Right at that moment Beth and Rebecca came walking back down the hallway. Mick looked at Beth and spoke "Beth, I think we should go it's getting late and I have a feeling that these two need to have a talk.' Josef looked at Mick and Beth then at his daughter and replied "Thanks Mick, Look there is a charity fundraiser that I'm going to take Simone and this young lady here to." Josef's eyes rested on his daughter then spoke "I'd really like for you to get to know Simone." Then Josef looked at Mick & Beth and continued "I'd really like it if you two would join us" Mick looked over at Beth "Would you like to go?" Beth nodded "Sure. I'd love to go. Any excuse to dress up!" Mick and Beth looked at each other a moment longer then nodded to each other in agreement then Mick replied "Alright Just let us know the time and the place!"

Josef smiled and replied "Okay great, I'll call you later. and Mick don't worry there will be a mix of people there she'll be safe trust me." Mick nodded and replied "Mick nodded and replied "I know that if it wasn't safe, you wouldn't bring Rebecca and you wouldn't have said anything we'll be there." Mick turned toward Rebecca "Rebecca it was a pleasure meeting you." Rebecca smiled "Thank you Mr. St John it was very nice meeting both you and Ms. Turner. "
Mick chuckled "Rebecca, there is no reason to be so formal. We're all family here. It's Mick and Beth. Okay?"
Rebecca nodded and replied "Okay, Thank you. Mick. See you later"
Mick winked at her as he and Beth left the room.

Mick and Beth had left Josef and Rebecca standing in the office face to face finally Josef turned toward Rebecca and spoke " Listen. We have got a lot to talk about so..." just then Simone came walking in the office cutting off his sentence "Josef, I'm so glad that your back. I thought you might be hungry so.." Simone stopped dead in her tracks the second she eyed Rebecca. Then her eyes narrowed. Josef knew what was coming next so he cut her off at the pass. "Simone, it's not what you think." Simone quirked her eyebrow at him and said "What do you think that I think?" Josef looked uncomfortable and became noticeably agitated. Josef looked at Simone then at Rebecca as he spoke "Simone, this is....this is Rebecca. My daughter. I told you about her remember ?"

Simone gave Josef a rigid stare as if to say WHAT is she doing HERE? Then Simone smiled as looked at the young lady standing next to Josef then she spoke "It's good to finally meet you Rebecca your father has told me an awful lot about you." Rebecca looked at this woman Simone, then back to her father. She sensed the tension in the air. "It's nice to meet you Simone." she said timidly.

Josef could cut the tension with a knife and decided to finally say something. "Simone. Rebecca is going to be joining us at the fundraiser tomorrow night, so I thought you could take her shopping for a new dress and some new clothes." Josef saw Simone's blank expression.

Josef then spoke up ""Umm...I mean you and I could take her shopping for a new dress and some new clothes." Simone glared at Josef, then turned toward Rebecca and smiled warmly ""I think that would be a GREAT idea Josef don't you Rebecca?" Rebecca nodded her head in agreement.

Josef then spoke up " Rebecca, I need to speak to Simone about a private urgent business matter so could you please excuse us for a few minutes ? I promise this won't take long Why don't you go explore the house for a few minutes and then you and I can have our talk, ok ? "

Rebecca nodded her head then spoke " Okay, I'll look around some more, I don't want to be any trouble dad. I know that you are a busy man" Josef sensing his daughters unease replied " Josef sensing his daughter's unease replied "Rebecca, you aren't any trouble at all, you're my daughter and I love you. Just give me a few minutes and then we'll have that talk!" then he winked at her. Rebecca walked up and kissed Josef on the check "Ok daddy." then she walked out of the room. Josef got a weird sensation up his spine. Daddy. He could get used to that.

Josef walked up to Simone and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Josef then spoke "Simone, Rebecca doesn't know EVERYTHING about me yet. I was just getting ready to sit her down and tell her everything and explain the rules." Josef paused to look at Simone. Her face told him to go on "Simone I have to treat my daughter like a fledgling because whether she knows it or not. That is exactly what she is. Her life as she knows it is about to change because she is about to change and she will not know how to deal with that change. I have to help her through it and it's not going to be easy "Simone finally spoke "Josef, I'll help you with her no matter what she needs, but I really wish you would have told me instead of just springing her on me."

"I know Simone, it wasn't unexpected. Really. I'm sorry."
Simone could never stay mad at Josef for too long. "Ok. You're forgiven." As Josef went in for another kiss she interjected "THIS time. But, I am here for you AND Rebecca!"

Josef pulled Simone to him then spoke "That is what I wanted to hear." Josef kissed her then spoke again "As much as I would love to pro-long this by carrying you upstairs and ravishing you, I can't, But, I will have a little snack before you can go up to my room. You can wait for me to come up and finish what we started, but I really need to have this discussion with Rebecca and get her settled in. Then I should really get some freezer time in for a few hours, since I'm sure you'll have me up all night right?" . I have to have this discussion with her and then get her settled and then I'll need some freezer time for a few hours but I'll make it up to you tonight I promise." Simone just laughed "That's the plan!"

Josef ran his finger along the vein in Simone's wrist. Simone shivered from Josef's touch. Josef looked up at her and vamped out. His fangs plunged into her wrist and began to drink her blood.
Josef heard a noise behind him. He jerked away from Simone and turned around to see a shocked Rebecca standing behind him. Rebecca had come back down to check if her father had finished speaking with Simone and had walked in on him feeding off her. She cried "Oh my GOD!" and ran out of the office and upstairs to her bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind her.
Josef chased after her "Rebecca WAIT!"

Josef followed her upstairs then knocked on the door "pounded on her door. "Rebecca, open this door. NOW." There was no answer. "Rebecccccaaa" he warned "We can do this the hard way or we can do this the easy way, its your choice but either way you ARE going to listen to me young lady." Again no answer. Josef decided to try one more time. "You have two choices young lady, you can unlock this door and let me in, or I will pull the damn door completely off the hinges and come in anyway and I won't re-attach it either. Giving you NO privacy at ANY time, so which is it going to be ? " This seemed to do the trick, Rebecca opened the door and let Josef in and said. "I know what I saw down there, I know what you are."

Josef followed her upstairs and pounded on her door. "Rebecca, open this door. NOW." There was no answer. "Rebecccccaaa" he warned "We can do this the hard way or we can do this the easy way, its your choice but either way you ARE going to listen to me young lady."

Josef watched Rebecca carefully then replied "I want to hear you say it. Come on Rebecca say it." Rebecca stood face to face with Josef but showed no fear. "You're a vampire aren't you ?" Josef stepped forward then replied "Yes I am but I would never, ever hurt you and you have to believe that."
Rebecca thought for a minute everything was beginning to make sense her fathers speed and agility and how everyone around her aged but her parents never did. She began to wonder if she was like them or was she human.

Josef then spoke up "Listen Rebecca, I've stayed mostly away from you for all these years to protect you. Not because I don't love you. It's because I love you that I stayed away, it's important that you understand this. But, your safety has now been compromised, and you are now starting to show signs of...well, quite frankly my genetics...and I need to help you through that. But, I am here for you, ask me anything."

Rebecca just let the questions roll out one after the other "My mother is like you isn't she ?" Josef then responded "Yes Yes. and No. What happened to her is complicated. It was a turning gone wrong."
but what happened to her is complicated." Rebecca then spoke again "So if you and her are vampires am I like you ? " Yes and no it's complicated so this is going to take awhile to explain to you but let's just say that you're not completely human, you have a lot of me in you. You are only half vampire, your traits will not be as strong as mine. We will have to see how it goes as time goes by. We will take it one day at a time."

Rebecca then asked "What do you mean exactly." Josef came up next to his daughter and sat down next to her. " Let's just say that your inner vampire is there and just waiting to come out now and believe me it will when you least expect it." Josef half smiled at her and said Try to think of yourself as a baby having to grow up and learn how to do things all over again. That is what a fledgling is a newborn vampire or what we call a new Turn. I know it's a lot to take in." Rebecca looked at him and sighed as she spoke "Great just what I always wanted to do having to grow up all over again sounds real fun." Josef continued "You need to really listen to me pay close attention to the rules and you have to follow them to the letter because keeping our existence secret is our #1 priority only it's our only protection from humans. You've never been chased by a torch bearing mob before, I have believe it's not a fun experience. I've been around four hundred years so I know what I'm talking about, so you need to listen to what I tell you ok ?"

Rebecca slowly nodded trying to take in and absorb everything that her father had just told her. Josef continued, Rebecca you've got a lot to learn and you will learn it all eventually. We'll deal with this together one day at time and time is something that you and I have a lot of but right now I think you need some rest. I need to get some sub-zero time in the freezer. I hope it's cool enough in here for you if it's not let me know and I'll adjust the room temperature in here for you."

Rebecca nodded to this and spoke "Wait a minute, you sleep in a freezer ?"
Josef nodded "Yes. why?" "Oh" Rebeeca half smiled "I always thought you slept in a coffin!"
Josef burst out laughing and said "NO. That's a myth, as a lot of things are where we are concerned, but we do sleep in Freezers, we like the cold and it helps to slow down the decay but I'll discuss that with you later on today when school is session, but since you are half human, I don't think it will concern for you at this point, but anything is possible so we'll just take it one day at a time for now." Rebecca then asked another question Dad a few minutes ago you mentioned that a fledgling is a new vampire. I'm thinking that is equal to being a student and if that's the case I'm assuming there is a name for the teacher or the vampire that makes another vampire ? Josef smiled his daughter was a quick study "Sire is what you are referring to Rebecca ? Josef saw the comprehension in Rebecca's face before she spoke "You turned mom, which makes you her sire am I right ?" Josef smiled again and spoke "Yes, you're right" Rebecca then asked "If I have some of your traits that means I have your blood in me. Does that make me your fledgling ? Josef then replied "It makes me your father no matter what. You get some sleep the sun will be up soon I'm going now, If you need me I'm right across the hall ok?"

Rebecca then spoke "Thanks dad for finally telling me all this. I feel a little better now" Josef smiled then gave her a kiss on the forehead then turned and walked out and closed the door. He then headed across the hall to his room and looked in. He saw Simone sleeping soundly so he decided to go straight to his freezer. He got undresses and stepped into his freezer and closed the lid.