Chapter 6

Jason moved through the large tent to see how his boys were doing in dressing wounds and doing minor stitches on the residents of Collinsport. Jason looked around at the area and thought it had looked like it had been caught in a bombing. He had grown very proud of his men. All of them had voluntarily stayed through the whole ordeal wanting to help with all the injured.

Some had used their own vehicles to help take some of the stress from the hospital. The last he heard it was really bad and over run with seriously injured. He looked around noting his end was beginning to get fewer casualties. When the last serious patient had been addressed he rounded his boys up. 'Here is what I have been thinking boys. Once we can fold here and wrap up, I say lets go and see what we can do about clean up and helping folks get back to their homes."

The men all nodded, "I can check with the guys down at the cannery, heard they made out better than we had. Maybe they would be willing to help out too."

Jason thought, "Sounds good, but if they have damaged homes lets not expect them to help."

The men looked around and not seeing any more injured, they began to break down the triage area when Thomas pulled up in front of the tent. "Jason!"

He called and smiled when he saw his brother bedraggled but in one piece. "Hey good to see you, how's the head?"

He moved his fingertips to his head and then sighed, "Sore, got six stitches."

He nodded, "You looked like shit earlier, with all that blood."

He sighed, "So how did the fire station fare?"

Jason looked around and shrugged, "No damage, we actually were able to bring in some of the stragglers and put them up for the night at least."

Thomas looked around at the mess that was the main street of Collinsport and sighed, "Well mother and dad said they could go to Collinwood and they would put them up in the ballroom. They have set up a temporary shelter for those that need a place to stay."

Jason looked up and felt the bite in the evening air and sighed. "Looks like we are in for an early fall this year. It is going to be tough on a lot of people if they are out of their homes by the first snow."

Thomas had to agree he looked around at the damage and it made him heart sick. "I heard the station took a huge hit. How about your place did you get any damage?"

Jason looked down and shook his head. "Nope but then again I did not have as much to loose if I had been hit as most these people here."

Thomas looked over and studied the Collinsport Inn, "Looks like they did not get as much damage as the gazebo and the station. I was just going down to check on Karen and the guys, you want to ride with me?"

Jason turned to his boys., "Hey guys can you do without me for a while?"

They all nodded, "I will be back in a bit, going to the sheriff's station to assess the damage there."

They waved him off and both brothers slid into Thom's car and they drove around the debris and to the Sheriff's Department. Driving up as in front of the department Thom felt heart sink to the pit of his stomach. The roof was gone, the windows had been blown out and the curtains blew eerily in the wind.

"Kind of looks like a bomb went off." Jason was as devastated as Thom, this was the building that they grew up knowing, and their father had let them play in the empty cells and would pay them for sweeping the floor. Now they looked upon an era that was gone. "Its kind of sad looking at the old girl in such bad repair."

Thom nodded, "Come on Karen is in the basement with the old back up system, she is running things from the generator."

They picked their way to the back and Thom was relieved to see at least he still had four cars left. Moving to the storm cellar doors he opened them and called, "Karen!"

He moved into the dimly lit basement room and saw her set up by the radio and the back up telephone system. "Yeah! Back here Sheriff."

Jason and Thom made their way to her side and looked at how she had organized everything. "Hey how is it going?"

Karen looked frazzled, "I have a call in for Gloria to come in and help, but she is having trouble getting in from the west end. Bunch of trees down over the roadways and she is walking in on foot."

Thom moved out into the back yard area and looked at what was left of his fleet, going in he found the keys to the cars and moved back to the basement. "Jason, take unit 2 go out pick up Dad, and on your way back see if you can pick up Gloria she should be about Collinwood drive about the time you leave with Dad, tell him I need him and he will be helping to collect other reserves to bring them in, we have a full blown emergency and we need all available help."

Jason took the keys, "You really think we should put Dad out there he is getting kind of old."

Thom smiled, "He is dad and would be insulted if we did not use him."

Jason nodded, "Good point."

He took the keys and disappeared as Karen watched him go she sighed, "He is so good looking."

Thom shrugged, "Always been a punk kid to me."

Karen sighed, "Well maybe to you, I think he is dreamy."

Thom shook his head, "As hard as you are working I tell you what I am going to do, I am going to get him to ask you out to dinner and the dinner will be on me."

Karen flushed a deep red. "Really?"

He leaned over and put a chaste sweet kiss to her cheek. "Really." Taking the other keys he made his way to the fleet of cars in the yard.

Putting the car in gear, he headed to the outer areas that he knew would be reachable to see if he could find any of those missing from the storm. It all looked bad but he had faith that it was like the Phoenix it would raise again and be better than ever.

Vicki found herself once again in chambers with Nicolai. The week was a sidestepping game of hide and seeks for Vicki dodging any morning contact with Nicolai by keeping herself distant and visiting villages.

The evenings were spent with a repetitive action of being escorted to the marriage bed and Nicolai's waiting form, only to drug him and wait the night out until morning. She had become very adept at avoiding his demands or touch until this night when he coyly decided he did not need his potion to make him virile for his wife.

Exhaustion was beginning to take its toll on her reserve and she now found herself in his bed and his demands for her attention and her body more than she could bear. Trapped beneath his body she felt his rude intrusion to her body while he lavished his sexual attention on her. Closing her eyes she waited for the moment to pass and for him to be done. With his final grunt he felt himself spent and rolled from her body. Vicki fought the urge to dash from his room and bathe.

He lay silent for a moment then rolled to his side and took fingertips to brush the hair from her face. "I think it is time for you to move your things to my bed chambers and occupy my bed every night. You have now earned the right to share my bed from this day on. No more will these times together be fleeting dreams of expectations or passing thoughts of what was, you are now mine and you belong to me Josephine."

Vicki felt physically ill and she knew it was more from this body's changing to accommodate the now growing life in her womb and if this Vicki was as she had been she now carried her daughter Josette in her womb. "You are very quiet my dear? Is there nothing you wish to say?"

Vicki thought and then spoke softly, "I just think I still need my own chambers especially when I become pregnant. I know you wish me to not burden you with the ills that ultimately follow such a change to ones body my lord."

He studied her pensive look and smiled, a feeling of slow triumph was filling him and he felt he had a victory over her. "I think we will deal with it once you have conceived."

He leaned over and placed feathery light kisses over her brow to her lips then a deep penetrating kiss forcing her lips apart while his hands made free with the delights her body offered for his senses..

Vicki fought the urge to recoil lying impassively tolerating his touch and demands and once again she felt his desire over come him as he forced his intentions on her body taking his desires in a quickness that would have been embarrassing to most men but to her relief was over and quickly enough he rolled away from her again to fall into a deep sleep with a loud snoring emitting from him.

Vicki stood and made her way to her bathing chambers in her bedroom. Scrubbing her body with an intensity to wash away the touch and feel of the vile man that laid claim to her as her husband was making her feel physically ill and for the first time since her arrival she felt shame and anger and the tears rolled down her cheeks as she closed her eyes lying back in the tub. "I have to get out of here. Is there no one that can get me back to my own time and my love? This poor child here needs to be with her Barnabas."

She spoke to the empty room with eyes closed and wrapped in her growing depression. Rising with a sad sigh, she wrapped her body in the heavy bath sheet and looked around the room. Pulling on her robe, she moved to her dressing table and began to draw her brush through her hair.

She studied the image in front of her in the mirror and saw the mirror ripple. For a moment she sat perfectly still and studied the ripple to see an image appear in the mirror superimposed over her image. The image was one from her past, from a long time ago when she first learned of her powers.

The angelic features of Michael smiled and then beckoned her to him. Leaning foreword she felt the touch of his hand to her face and her body glowed with a soft hue of blue as the light enveloped her body she was no longer sitting on her vanity stool she was in a new place of soft calm serenity. Peering around confused she felt the dawning of the realization that she was in the serenity room of the ethereal plane that was Michael's home. "Victoria, you should not be there, you do not belong there and you need to come home with me so that we can make the flow of time right."

Vicki nodded and thought to speak but found she had no voice. "While you are here, you cannot talk, you will need to conserve your energy until I can make this ripple in the time placement go away." Vicki pivoted on her feet looking around and saw an image in a large mirror. It was of her slumped over her vanity table in her bedchambers.

Transfixed to the image she watched the room around her slumped body bathed in a brilliant flash of bright light and the image of Jeanette appeared in the room with Radu. Radu lifted Vicki's form from the chair and together they stepped into the tear in time.

That image of that soulless body was now gone from view and Vicki felt a part of her ripped apart, gasping softly she folded to her knees bending forward clutching her stomach. Panic filled her mind and then there was nothing more than blissful darkness and a floating sensation. Michael moved to catch her before she fell forward and lifted her in his arms and carry her to another room of peaceful tranquility.

Laying her on a low bed he gently covered her body and turned. "Now, to reunite the other soul with her body." Touching his forehead, Michael flashed out in a subtle light of green to appear in the parabolic chambers with the other Vicki laying a drugged sleep. Touching her forehead, the essences that was the Para universe Vicki was drawn out to stand glowing in form next to Michael confused and waiting. "You will not remember me Victoria for our time to meet is not now. You must come with me now. The life of your unborn child is at risk and you do not belong here. Foolish mortals have caused a rift and we must set the time flow back. Come take my hand and follow me."

Reaching for her hand together they disappeared in a soft flash of green light, leaving the figure of the older Victoria's shell lying comatose on the bunk.

The body of the younger Victoria lay comatose on the sterile exam table at the headquarters of SHADOWS operations. She lay in a peaceful pose. Vicki appeared to be sleeping. Radu looked at the sleeping form and looked over at Jeanette, "She is not whole there is something wrong with her."

Jeanette moved to her mother's side and looked down at the peaceful look on her face. "What is wrong?"

Radu put his fingers to her forehead and closed his eyes. "She is a shell, there is no essence occupying her body."

Jeanette's face wrinkled with her concern as she looked from the face of the woman that was her mother to the face of her lover. "What do you mean?"

Radu shook his head, "She is vacant, her soul has been dispersed and is not in this vessel."

From the corner of the room, unaware of the arrival of Michael, Jeanette and Radu bent over the sleeping form of Vicki's body. "Come my dear it is time to restore you to your form and ally the fears of your friend and daughter."

Taking her hand he led her to the body, helping her up on the exam table, the wispy form of Vicki absorbed the form of the unconscious Vicki on the table connecting back to her body. The connecting of the two bodies showing and immediate reaction to the two being reunited was easily reflected in the look that came over Radu's face.

"Ahh, excellent the soul and body are one now. We can continue on with the assignment and reunite your parents at their home."

Radu smiled pleased that he could once again feel Vicki as whole and look upon the face of her daughter to reassure her of the connection. Michael smiled and disappeared from the room to reappear beside Vicki in the serenity room.

"Now, my dear it is time to return you to the flow of your time and stop the cascade of chaos through time." Bending he moved to the sleeping form of Vicki and disappeared to lay her gently into the body of the woman in the parabolic chamber. The two essences were reunited to the one body he smiled and closing his eyes and spoke softly, "Time is restored and you are whole again." With a touch to his forehead he disappeared from sight.

Lydia stirred from her light nap. The room held a different feel to it. Subtle at first but she knew there had been a shift of some kind as she lay reorienting herself to he surroundings. Sitting up and sliding her feet to the floor she stood and moved to the door of the chamber and glanced at the clock.

She had another half an hour in the chamber before they could release her. Oddly enough she felt secure in her surroundings and knew that something had happened to calm the flow of time. Moving to the computer in her chamber, she pressed the space bar and the screen came to life.

Launching the Internet she sat and watched the search engine she needed came to life. Moving her fingers over the keypad she watched in real time she was allowed access to seeing what was happening in Collinsport. The devastation had been pretty complete in the main street area of Collinsport as she watched crews of repairmen and electrical workers work with a feverish pace to try and right what nature with the help of the chaos demon had set in place.

Going to a street view of the flurry of activity she found her brothers as they moved about the city helping where they were needed. Lydia pulled back her view and studied the area, taking her view to Collinwood, she saw her stepmother and father in the midst of being the gracious and care giving host and hostess to those that needed shelter.

The view scanned the area, her attention was caught by the wisp of flowing white material that drifted about on the lawn of the old house. The figure paused and studied the entrance to the house and then she saw her brother in law Barnabas standing with a look of utter despair and hurt upon his features, moving from the doorway was her niece Sarah and she stood anxiously next to her father. Moving in closer, Lydia turned up the volume of the computer and listened. "Don't worry poppa she is fine, she will be home before you know it. I am certain she was not injured in the storm."

Barnabas placed a light tender kiss on her forehead and nodded, "I know you are right my sweet Sarah, it is she has been gone for a while and nothing from the authorities on her whereabouts. We will have hope and be patient."

Lydia felt her heart fall listening to the concern her family was having over her missing sister. Sighing softly she shut the computer down and closed her eyes only to open them with the intrusion of a soft sweet smell of jasmine entered the room. "She is back Cher, she has been returned and so has the flow of time. You however are in grave danger and must be careful."

Lydia turned to see the faint transparent figure of Josette duPres as she shimmered from view with the arrival of the health techs. The pressure in the chamber was released with a subtle Shhhhh sound and the techs opened both doors to each chamber.

Vicki stepped out and looked around the room and then to her sister. Her face lit up with genuine joy as she looked upon the face of her sister. "I am back Lydia. I have returned. The time flow should be back in order and we should expect nothing more than a few ripples as the flow of time resumes."

Lydia moved to hug her sister holding onto her tightly. "I am not sure if you are aware of it or not, but Collinsport was hit by a tornado with the help of a chaos demon and the town is in bad shape. I really think we need to get us back through a time fold so we can help our loved ones."

Josette with the help of Camron took Vicki and Lydia through a time fold and brought them to Lydia's house. Camron moved to the sofa and draped himself over the back of it waiting for Josette to hug her mother. "Now we will leave you to your own devices and you can make up whatever story you wish to explain your absence."

Turning to her aunt, Josette hugged her and with Camron in tow they disappeared into the fold of time once again. Vicki moved into the room, her body felt exhausted her mind was disjointed with thoughts from two times.

"I am afraid I am still feeling the affects of the time displacement Lydia, I am afraid if I go home I am not going to be able to field the questions that may be asked."

Lydia nodded, "I understand I am feeling a bit off myself. Just let me get fresh sheets for the spare bedroom and we both can lie down and rest. That should give us a chance to catch up with the time flow."

Vicki nodded and collapsed to the sofa, stretching out and closing her eyes she sighed deeply and felt her body relax and found she was reliving the time she was at Nicolai's castle. The thought of the look on his face when he realized she was gone and no longer under his power left her with a feeling of satisfaction.

At least she was the one that had the memories of his touch and not the other younger alternate verse of her. As far as she was concerned she was never missing from her beloved Barnabas. Knowing how she would have felt during that time of her life she was grateful that she was able to sacrifice her mental self for that Vicki from that time frame.

Even now as she lay waiting for Lydia to prepare her bed she had to admit that she had suffered far more than that Vicki and could well with stand the events that had unfolded. A part of her lay longing to be in the arms of her husband and have him make love to her as only he could.

With the gentleness and care he had always held for her while committing his deep passion and love for her. Never had any one man come close to making her feel so complete and even today with grown children his touch alone could ignite in her that deep passion she had always kept hidden until he released it.

She reflected on that and decided that is why her love for him had been so enduring and lasting. Lydia came from the spare room, "Hey sis, you can go in and lay down now. What I might do later if you are not up, I will run over to the big house and then the old house and let them know we are well and that you were just too tired to make it home."

Vicki smiled weakly to her sister and nodded, "Ok Lydia if you want. Right now I am so exhausted I really don't want to do anything but rest."

Lydia studied the face of her sister and once again was struck by how utterly timelessly beautiful she was. Moving over to the sofa she bent and placed a tender sisterly kiss on her forehead. "I love you Vicki."

She stepped back and moved to her own bedroom. Striping off she fell across her bed and was soon asleep. Her dreams were troubling as she tumbled through that dark abyss that was her dreams. Always there was the mysterious man with the dark penetrating eyes.

She felt her body grow warm with his intense look and her body yearned for his touch and wanted him to take her. She watched as he came to her in the darkness of her bedroom, bending over her with a hypnotizing look to his eyes as he began to slowly and erotically slide her clothing from her body.

She could taste the definitely male smell of his body while she trailed hot kisses over his shoulders to his chest and felt him pin her to the bed. Her skin burned to the touch of his fingers with his gentle caress over her smooth skin. She let him take what he demanded with care and ease.

She so easily surrendered to those demands and experienced the climb to an erotic high to complete the act that had so easily been surrendered and taken. Lydia sat up with a start. Looking around the room, she felt her body drenched in sweat, her body feeling like it had been taken in her sleep.