Not So Alone
Part 1
By Princess Alexandria
Princess_alex24@hotmail.com
Demona wasn't thrilled with having to take Brenna to school before she could start her day, but the only other option was to get to work even earlier and have someone else delegated to do that, or for her driver to first go out and take Brenna to school then come back for her. That would make her late to work every day instead.
Gregory stopped the car and Demona glanced at the nervous looking child beside her. "What's the matter?" She didn't bother trying to keep the hint of irritation in her voice. They'd been sitting still too long and Demona wanted to get inside, take care of business and get to work.
"Nothing." Brenna spoke quietly, but Demona could see her glancing out the window at the school and the crowd of students milling about.
"Well then lets go." The girl was seated on the side next to the sidewalk, and Demona had to visit the office and change Brenna's address as well as deliver the papers the state sent her that showed she had temporary guardianship of the girl. Demona watched as Brenna opened the door and got out. The girl was actually scared, but she wouldn't admit it. What was she afraid of?
Brenna didn't glance at the kids on the step once, but Demona could see all the student's eyes following her. "Man, a limo… who died and made her queen?" Someone said a bit loudly and Demona watched Brenna's hands clench into fists as she just continued to lead her towards the front door.
"She's always been Queen. Queen of the nerds." A spiteful young female answered what looked like her boyfriend while giving Brenna a fake smile.
Demona watched as Brenna tried to hide how much those taunts bothered her. This was her first day back at school after her mother died and this is the welcome she got.
"Who was that little brat?" Demona moved to walk beside Brenna in the halls and her glares at the students in the way cleared a path.
"Tina." Brenna sighed heavily. "The girl I got suspended for hitting."
"Didn't hit her hard enough from the looks of it." She glanced back out towards the doors and watched the little beast in question coming inside. "Next time see if you can crack her jaw so they wire it shut." That got a hint of a smile out of the girl.
********
The Principal was making a big mistake making Ms. Destine wait, Brenna thought as they sat in main office while he was on the phone. She could see the redheaded woman's patience fading fast. They wouldn't even need to talk to him personally, except when they came in to deal with the paperwork he'd noticed Brenna, and couldn't resist another chance to make her life difficult. Brenna stared down at the binder in her hands. He really had it in for her, especially since the time he'd mentioned he noticed her essay was being distributed by the P.I.T. He was a pretty horrible man and Brenna wondered if she was a bad person for hoping he tried to intimidate Ms. Destine because she knew that the redhead next to her could eat him alive.
The binder in her hand slid to the ground and papers were scattered. Brenna just grimaced and hurried to pick them up before someone else came into the office and stepped on her homework. She didn't even notice Ms. Destine's hand reach down and pick up one of them to study.
"You write a lot better than this." Ms. Destine didn't sound too please. Brenna turned to see her looking at the English paper due today.
"It's not a big paper. It doesn't need to be perfect."
"It says right in the header it's your midterm."
Brenna shoved the other papers carelessly back into her binder, while looking around to make sure no other students were there. "It doesn't pay to be too much smarter around here. Its an A paper and the teachers won't make a huge fuss because its too good."
"You are dumbing down your work?" Ms. Destine's eyes seemed to bore into her. When the woman held out a demanding hand it wasn't hard to understand what she wanted. Brenna sighed as she handed her binder over. "You are actually doing this on purpose." She was quickly flipping through Brenna's homework, probably only reading a few lines of each one. Brenna was suddenly ashamed, she didn't want Ms. Destine to think less of her for not being willing to take the teasing for this. It just didn't seem worth the problems it would cause, unlike the situation with Angela and the gargoyles. The redheaded executive looked up from the papers to stare into her eyes. "Why?"
"If the teachers make a fuss about it the other kids…" Brenna shook her head just slightly. She had no idea how to explain this to her.. what? What was Ms. Destine? Her guardian?
"They don't tolerate intelligence in the education system do they?" Ms. Destine spoke with an angry clip, but Brenna had the impression that it wasn't actually aimed at her. "I don't know why that surprises me, when I see how stupid… people… can be. Obviously learning to conform is more highly rated than actual true intelligence."
Brenna felt like hissing at that painful jab. Ms. Destine must think she's just a mindless sheep to let herself do this. "If the kids start to pick on me I can't fight back or Mr. Smyth with suspend me. He doesn't care who starts it. He's after me. I don't want to write like this anymore, I'm tired of it… but if I mess up the curve for any class and other kids get lower grades because of me they will threaten me, they have before."
"I see." Ms. Destine's lips pursed together as she handed the binder back to her. The way the woman glared out towards the hallway full of students made Brenna think that sitting quietly for now was a good idea.
********
The short balding man opened his office door finally. Demona almost felt like growling at him for making her wait when she had to get to work.
That time had given her more insight into the child next to her though. Brenna was willing to take on the Quarrymen and her school for Angela, but she wasn't willing to defend herself with the same ferocity. She was being teased at school and from Brenna's reaction to getting out of the limo it was a normal thing and even the principal was in on it. Demona wasn't at all happy with this realization. Brenna was paying daily for her defense of Angela and that paper she wrote.
"Hello, I'm Principal Smyth." The little man came out from behind the counter to talk. "How can I help you?" Demona didn't miss his curious and not too friendly glance towards Brenna. The redhead immediately decided that the girl didn't need to be hurt by having to listen to this man find out about the death of her mother.
"Brenna, I'll be right back. Don't wander off." Demona told the girl as she stood up and faced the principal of this joke of a school. She then marched into the man's office without bothering to invite him. She knew he'd follow. "Close the door." She ordered him as soon as he stepped inside. She was busy pulling out the papers the state gave her so that he wouldn't doubt her right to make any changes regarding Brenna.
"Is this some sort of child custody or child support thing, because we have specific procedures for dealing with those." He started to try and regain control of the meeting, so Demona just glared up at him while sitting back in her seat.
"Brenna's mother died over the weekend. That's why she missed a few days of school. She will be staying with me." Demona handed him his copy of the paperwork and noticed him glancing over it. "I need to submit a change of address, and the state told me that the fact that I live out of the school district won't interfere with her education since I have a driver to take her to school."
"Well, I'm sorry for her loss." He sounded more like he was saying it was ugly weather out side. "So are you… an Aunt or something?"
Demona had to pause at that. "I'm a… friend." She answered coldly. It really wasn't any of this man's business why she'd taken Brenna in. It felt strange to say those words and it made her a bit more irritated that he'd forced her into doing it. "I want to take care of any paperwork quickly so that I can get to work."
He didn't hop to action as well as her employees did when she made a demand, but he did get up and get the paperwork needed from the front office. He'd left his office door opened when he did that and Demona found herself glancing out to see that Tina child standing in front of Brenna saying something with a sneer on her face. Brenna looked like whatever it was hurt and the principal just glanced at them and came back with his paperwork.
"I've changed my mind." Demona started to speak faster. "I am withdrawing her. This school is a complete joke, she'd be better suited to teach here than learn. Your students are little more than trained monkeys and the teachers must be blind to not see Brenna is far too good for this place." Her own words surprised her. She had fully intended to just set up the new address and let Brenna continue as she had been. The social worker from the state said that staying in her normal school might be good for the girl, but she obviously was wrong. Sometimes change was just what was needed. Brenna didn't need this type of stability.
"What?" He seemed stunned.
"Get me whatever papers I need to re-enroll her at a real school." She spoke more slowly so that he knew she considered him an idiot.
"What school?"
Demona raised her voice so that the girl could hear her in the hall, and to hopefully get that little parasitic human away from her. "Brenna, come here!" Brenna was up and moving towards her quickly, looking a bit confused by the order. Once the girl was in the doorway she spoke. "What was the name of that school you told me about?"
"Ah… Cordova High School."
"And where is it?"
"It's… It's a few blocks from that building with the castle."
Demona almost grimaced at that. Still she'd already committed herself to this action, and school was during the day. "Well, that's your new school. We're going to go enroll you today, as soon as this… man… gets the paperwork ready to go."
"Cordova is a very exclusive school. You can't just walk in and enroll, you need to be invited. It's based on test scores, grades, and it isn't free." Mr. Smyth sounded like he enjoyed trying to ruin this plan.
"Brenna has been invited, and as a NightStone employee she's eligible for scholarship money." Demona had no idea if that scholarship fund would cover high school, but she'd fix that if it didn't. NightStone was going to take care of it's own.
"You work at NightStone?"
"I OWN NightStone." Demona glared at him. "Brenna works for me. Now get the paperwork. I obviously need to get everything taken care of this morning."
His eyes widened at her declaration and Demona noticed with a hint of satisfaction that the little man was working to be more accommodating after that.
********
Brenna stared at Ms. Destine in shock. She was going to pay for her to go to that school. She watched as Principal Smyth hurried to pick up the papers they'd need so that they could go. Normally moving in the middle of a semester wouldn't be a good idea, but Brenna was more than willing to make up all the work she'd missed, even if it meant she barely got to sleep. She wanted out of this school that badly.
The principal was still working on getting her transcript, so Brenna moved closer to the seated and regal looking redhead. "Thank you."
"If you have any belongings here, go get them. We aren't coming back." Those words filled Brenna with a hint of lightness. She moved to leave. She'd have her locker cleaned out quickly.
She passed Tina in the hall without even looking at her and quickly moved down the crowded halls full of talking students. She was organizing her books and pulling down her article with a picture of Angela from the inside of the locker when she heard Tina's voice again. The bitch had followed her.
Tina had always been a bitch, but when the principal made it a point to tell Brenna in front of Tina that if Brenna hit anyone again she'd be expelled Tina had only gotten worse. She must have felt safe in the knowledge that Brenna wouldn't risk hitting her, or maybe she was willing to take a hit if it meant it would ruin Brenna's life.
"So, you finally get expelled freak?"
Brenna gritted her teeth and continued making sure to grab everything. She hated that Tina had embarrassed her in front of Ms. Destine.
"Freak, I'm talking to you." Tina's voice rose and Brenna felt an embarrassed flush come to her cheeks as she turned around with her books in her arms to see they'd drawn a bit of a crowd.
"I'm going to a new school, one where the students actually know how to read and write." Brenna glared at the girl, making it no secret who she was calling stupid.
She started to walk away when Tina grabbed her arm, almost making Brenna drop her books. "So whose the woman in red, your parole officer?"
"Oh yeah, because everyone knows parole officers ride in limos. You really are stupider than a brick aren't you?" Brenna was quickly losing her patience. She needed to get back to the office. Ms. Destine was doing her a huge favor and she wasn't going to make the woman wait for her.
"stupid Freak." Tina glared at her. "You know all about bricks, you LOVE… them." Tina once again insinuated that Brenna was sleeping with one of the gargoyles. "Those fucking gargoyles are still gonna die. Just because the stupid city doesn't see what monsters they are doesn't mean that good people will let them run loose."
Brenna was almost ready to hit her, she really wanted to. Ms. Destine stepped out into the hall and Brenna watched Tina take a step back so it wasn't so obvious she'd been trying to get Brenna to fight. Brenna just pulled her books tighter to her body and started to walk away. It's what she'd been doing for months, but this was the last time. She was leaving this school and all the mean comments, attempts to trip her, and cold stares. She was going to go to a real school, where the teachers spent more time teaching and less time telling the kids to behave. Where she wouldn't have to hide that she was smart, because everyone there would be.
Her mother would definitely be happy for her, she'd told Brenna enough times that she wished she could do that for her. That she was sorry they didn't have enough money to send her to that school. Tears started to fill her eyes so she looked down and followed Ms. Destine to the limo. She wished her mother could have known she was finally getting to go. She would have taken her out to dinner to celebrate and they would have sat and talked about how much better this was going to be. Big changes for the better or finally completing huge projects always got a celebration.
********
Demona walked into her office and almost called out for Candace to get her a cup of coffee before she realized the woman sitting in Candace's chair was the new receptionist. This might be a problem. She glanced at the box beside the desk filled with Candace's personal belongings, like pictures. Yes, this would definitely be a problem. Brenna was going to come into work and be faced with her mother's replacement. She'd have to work with her, take orders from her.
"Hi, I'm Jane Watson." The woman introduced herself. Demona had just let Human Resources deal with getting the replacement, since she was dealing with the funeral and also stayed home so that Brenna had time to mourn without having to be completely alone.
"Hello Jane. Call someone to take Candace's belongings to my car." She glanced at the new photos of the young blonde woman and her… must be her boyfriend… sitting on the desk now. "Keep your personal belongings out of sight for a week before you leave them out." She snapped at her. "We still have her daughter working here, she doesn't need to see you move in so fast!" She then turned to march into her office.
Brenna was having a half way decent day, she didn't need to come to work and deal with her mother's absence today. Demona moved to stand beside the window of her office and stared out towards the city. She'd paid for the tuition in advance to speed up the enrollment and when the counselor helped Brenna pick classes the girl had actually smiled like she used to. Brenna had also asked Demona for her opinion on some of her choices and really cared about the answer.
The knock on her door interrupted Demona's pondering about what had happened and how she'd ended up signing Brenna up at a new school when she hadn't wanted to get that involved in the child's life. She was just keeping her until the state could find a human family to take her in. It was ridiculous for a gargoyle to try and raise a human child, and doubly ridiculous for her. The irony of the fact that humans had raised her own daughter, while she now had a human child didn't escape her.
"Ms. Destine, I had the box brought down." Jane spoke timidly, "I'm sorry about my things. I didn't even think about that. I'll be careful for as long as you think she needs it. It must be so hard losing your mother at such a young age." Demona just nodded once to her before sitting down to get to work.
********
Brenna got out of the limo at the Nightstone building. Ms. Destine had sent her driver to pick Brenna up after school today, and Gregory was great about parking the limo down the street so that the other kids didn't see it. She didn't want to be marked as different right away. So far it looked like she might actually fit in there. They had students that spoke up in class and said some of the things that Brenna always had just thought to herself rather than risk saying and being teased for being brainy. Still she'd stayed mostly silent her first day, to see how everyone else acted first.
Her nervousness increased as she got out of the elevator and started down the hall to her work. She hadn't been there since her mother died, and she could swear she felt eyes watching her from the offices she passed on the way to Ms. Destine's. She was almost there when Ms. Destine stepped out of her front office and started towards her with a determined look in her eyes. "Brenna, I need you to come with me on a site visit. You'll be taking notes on what I tell you to."
The sound of an electric screwdriver came from the office behind them as they both walked back towards the elevator. Brenna didn't know what to think about this change in her job position. She filed things and occasionally went on errands. She didn't do site visits or anything that really put her out where people would see her.
The loud bang from their office made Brenna look back down the hall as they waited for the elevator. "What are they doing?" She finally asked.
"A little remodeling. I'd been thinking about having it done for months. You need a space of your own." Ms. Destine's body held a bit of tension and Brenna could guess why. Brenna used to share a piece of her mothers desk whenever she needed some desk space. Once they stepped inside the elevator and away from watching eyes Ms. Destine seemed to relax a little and her voice was a little softer. "We didn't need that when we only had a temp for a few days a month, but with your position being permanent you should really have a workspace." Brenna just nodded distractedly. It wasn't often that she had to sit down at a desk.
"School was really great." Brenna started a different conversation, because the new desk topic made her uncomfortable. "The books are more interesting, the students are smart, and the place is actually clean." She looked up at the redhead. Ms. Destine was definitely taller than Brenna, but the high heels made her even taller. Brenna just wore flats, or tennis shoes if she thought she could get away with it. "Thank you."
Ms. Destine tensed up a little at that but said nothing. Brenna didn't understand why the woman was so uncomfortable with being thanked for anything. She was helping Brenna more than anyone other than her mother ever had before and yet she acted like she couldn't bare to acknowledge that.
********
Demona watched her nervous file clerk try to fill the role of a personal assistant while following her through one of Nightstone's research facility. This visit served a few purposes. It made sure that they could get away from the noisy office while the facilities people rearranged things to be more efficient. It also got Brenna back to working without having to see her mother's desk being dismantled to make room for a cubicle behind it. Living with a constantly hurting human would be tiring, it was best to make this transition as easy as possible on the girl. She didn't need to continually come into work and imagine seeing her mother sitting where she'd always been. The office wasn't going to look like it used to. That should make it easier.
Demona rattled off more complaints which Brenna struggled to write down as quickly as possible. The girl didn't know shorthand. Apparently skills like that weren't inherited. Brenna's appearance also wasn't suited for this type of work. The girl's hair looked like it was just a hairspray can away from being a Mohawk and the earrings that she used to not wear to work were now back in her ears. Demona hadn't even noticed the girl slowly putting them back in over the past few months. In spite of looking like a street punk, Brenna stood at attention and followed all of Demona's orders like a professional.
********
"Dominique do you have any family?" Brenna asked quietly while they sat eating dinner. She hadn't seen any pictures around the mansion of Ms. Destine's family. It was hard to call the woman Dominique at home like she said that Brenna could, because she'd been Ms. Destine to her for months, and it had only been a week since she told Brenna to call her Dominique when it was just them. Brenna had to force herself to do it. It sounded a bit stilted to her own ears.
Ms. Destine seemed to tense up as the food on her fork stopped its progress to her mouth. Brenna didn't think it was an unusual question but the woman seemed to be studying Brenna as if she was debating about answering it. "I have a daughter from my first marriage. I don't get to see her very often."
Brenna was a bit surprised at this. It was pretty uncommon for the woman to not get custody of a kid. "Oh, I'm sorry. That must be… hard." She was feeling like perhaps she shouldn't have asked the question after all. "What's her name?"
"Enough about me." Ms. Destine leaned forward a little, ending that conversation quickly. It must be too painful to talk about. "I was curious how you wouldn't have a father listed on your birth certificate."
Brenna felt a bit of a blush on her cheeks. "Umm, mom told me he was a jerk and she didn't want him to ever have any legal claim to me. All he cared about was money and power and she didn't want me to be like that."
"So do you know who he is?" Brenna wasn't liking this conversation. Was Ms. Destine trying to get rid of her just for asking a personal question?
"No. Mom didn't tell me who he was." She wasn't planning on telling Ms. Destine anymore about that. Her mother had told her that he was a man she used to work for and the only good that man ever did was give her Brenna. He was obsessed with becoming more rich and powerful, and only wanted to pull himself out of the poverty that he'd known as a child. He was charming, which was how Brenna's mom ended up being with him, but after seeing his less than legal dealings and lack of real morality Candace decided to quit when she became pregnant and never tell him. Brenna knew some things about her father, or more like the sperm donor that sired her, but she didn't know his name.
"Did you like the dinner?" Brenna asked to try and change the conversation again. "I've never made lasagna before." She just needed to stay long enough for Ms. Destine to forget she wanted to send her away. She'd been trying to be really helpful around the mansion, and she never did anything that she thought would upset Ms. Destine. She felt constant pressure to be perfect so that she wouldn't be kicked out.
"It's very good." Ms. Destine answered right before taking another bite. Brenna smiled and didn't notice the speculative look Ms. Destine gave her while she took a sip of her drink.
********
Brenna sure isn't practiced in the art of lying, Demona thought to herself as she watched the young girl eat. She knew something and just wasn't willing to tell Demona it. Why would she do that? She had to be ready to move on to a real home by now. Demona watched Brenna at night through the balcony doors sometimes and the girl wasn't crying quite as much as she used to. It was hard to watch Brenna cry and not go to her at times, but Demona had to keep her night form a secret, because even humans like Brenna might betray her, if just unintentionally with a thoughtless comment in front of witnesses. Brenna wasn't a good enough liar for really big secrets.
Rachel the social worker was more inept than could almost be believed. The only lead she'd reported, because she had given in to Demona's demand that Brenna not be forced to live with other kids, was an older couple, but it almost sounded like they wanted a poster child and Rachel had asked if Demona would tell Brenna to change her hairstyle and take out the extra earrings so that the holes might heal up. Brenna wasn't going to be someone's token child. True the hair and earrings were a bit much, but if anyone forced her to change those just so that she could find a home the girl would never feel truly wanted. Demona just watched the girl shave the sides of her head occasionally and said nothing.
Rachel had even had the nerve to tell Demona that with the large caseload she had it could be a while before Brenna was placed to Demona's specifications and that if the girl became bonded with her before they pulled her away it could hurt her again. She wanted Demona to lower her standards and claimed it was for Brenna's own good. Demona knew that if she hadn't worked with her lawyers on securing her position as guardian she'd have no say over where Brenna went. Her lawyers and her threats to make the state look bad if they didn't do well by Brenna were backed with lots of money and Rachel knew it. Demona was calling the shots in this.
********
Brenna sighed as she closed her textbook. She'd been working hard for a while and finally got to the point that she was caught up with all her classes, even science. Ms. Destine had hired one of her scientist to tutor her in it so that she could, although Brenna wondered if Taina really had a choice in the matter. Still the woman was a pretty good tutor and now Brenna was caught up in biology.
Now that her homework was done she knew her nights would become boring again. She had to work harder than she used to on her homework, but it was the catch-up work that entertained her most nights. There was only so much T.V. she was willing to watch. "I need a hobby." Brenna muttered quietly as she shut her computer down. Maybe she could ask for Ms. Destine to get her Internet access.
Time to just sit and think was just time to hurt. Brenna was mad at her mother for going out on that date and she hated that she felt that way. If her mother had just come home after dinner she'd be alive. If she hadn't been so interested in sleeping with that man she'd be alive. Brenna knew his name, but in her mind she only referred to him as THAT MAN. The one that was driving when her mother died, and it didn't matter to her that he died as well. It was all his fault.
She moved to stare up at the stars. The seat next to the balcony doors made it so she didn't even have to go outside to do it, which was good because it was a little chilly out.
When a shape obscured some of the stars she was looking at Brenna's eyes widened. She stared more carefully and wished she had binoculars. The shape got larger and there was no mistaking it. A gargoyle. What was a gargoyle doing this far from the city? A smile started to cross Brenna's face as she watched the female glide low over the mansion. That was so cool. It must be Angela, she'd never heard of any other females. She almost stepped out on her balcony to call out. She would have but the gargoyle was gone too quickly and she didn't want to wake up Ms. Destine.
Did the gargoyles patrol this area regularly? Brenna stayed staring up at the sky for an hour before going to bed. Maybe she could buy some binoculars, they'd work better than a telescope. She'd keep an eye out. If Angela came back she wanted to talk to her and give her that report she did. For the first time since her mother died Brenna fell asleep with a smile on her face. She was going to meet the gargoyle again.
********
"I saw a gargoyle last night." Brenna's declaration almost came into the kitchen before she did. Demona barely managed to not hiss out her displeasure. She'd been seen. She knew it would only be a matter of time. "She flew right over the mansion. It was so cool."
"I'm sure it was probably just a bird. Gargoyles wouldn't be this far out of the city." Demona spoke calmly while dishing up their breakfast.
"No, I'm sure it was…"
"Look, nothing bigger than a bird could get through the security system. It couldn't have been a gargoyle." She snapped at the child and the look of hurt on Brenna's face almost made her regret it. She couldn't let the girl think a gargoyle was in the area. Brenna was too enamored of gargoyles and would try to investigate.
Demona almost sighed at her own thoughtlessness last night. She needed to glide higher than a human eye could see on Brenna's side of the house. She wouldn't make that mistake again.
"Brenna I've been meaning to talk to you about your earrings." Demona glanced at the row of four in each ear. "It really isn't very professional. In the dress code it states that women can have ONE set of ear piercings." The girl looked a bit scolded and reached up to take out the other three. This really was for the best. If she didn't wear them eventually the holes would close up. A family wouldn't know Brenna was such a bright child, they'd only look at her piercings and her hair and assume she was a problem child. She was really just giving Brenna a better chance. They could talk about the hair another day, it looked like the girl was upset enough. "This weekend maybe we could check a museum?"
"Yeah sure." Brenna didn't sound too enthusiastic. The girl sat down heavily at the table and started to eat quietly. Demona gritted her teeth. She didn't mean to… dammit why were teenagers so damned moody?!
********
Brenna had been thinking about it all day during school, and she was sure she'd seen a gargoyle. When she met Gregory after school she made up her mind. "Can we go to a store before I go to work? I need to buy something."
"Sure, where did you want to go?" He smiled at her as he held open the limo door. It was still strange having a driver.
"First the bank and then a camera shop." She'd prove it to Ms. Destine. She'd buy a camera that could zoom in and get a good picture of the gargoyle. Ms. Destine would have to believe her then.