4.29 Facing the Darkness

The room grew dark while Keenan held Lydia's shuddering body against him. He didn't want to disturb her by moving. Several minutes later Lydia sighed leaning into him "thank you" she murmured. 

"That's what I'm here for" he said holding her tight.

Sitting up she tucked her long hair behind her ears. "We need to contact the darkness," her voice wavered but he could see her determination in her eyes.

"No" he said firmly "if anyone connects the the darkness it'll be me."

"No it has to be me" she protested "I know what it's thinking. I...." she bit her lip remembering the terrified little girl she was. The nightmares that would wake her up screaming in the middle of the night. The taunts from her brother as she tried to explain what was happening to her. The marks on her skin she couldn't hide "it has to be me" she mumbled again. Inspecting her hands afraid to meet Keenan's gaze afraid to see the same hatred in his eyes as she saw in her brother's eyes.

Lifting her chin Keenan pressed his lips to hers "don't be afraid." Gently he cupped her face between his hands "why would I ever fear you? What happened to you was out of your control."

She tried to turn away a wordless protest stuck in her throat "I'm sorry" she murmured.

"There's no need to be" he said tenderly caressing her cheek "you stuck by me when everyone I knew was afraid to touch me. You were my friend when I needed you the most."

Touching his hands with hers she held them still. Gazing into his eyes she smiled softly "you're too gentle to be so feared. I can see it in your eyes. The bafflement. The hurt. The pain. You don't show it but I can see it. You're hurt that the people you were going to lead turned against  you."

It was his turn to look away. His cheeks a rosy red. Her words struck a cord within him. Something he had buried deep within him. The betrayal of the people who had wanted him to rule over them. Rejected over something he neither wanted nor controlled. He was the same person he ever was yet they feared him. Walked across the street to avoid him. They'd spit in his face if they weren't so scared of him. "Yes it hurts" he sighed "I don't want it too but it does." He felt her finger tips gently wipe away a tear he hadn't known had fallen. "I hate what they expect my dad to do when my mom passes away. It's not right."

Lydia pulled him close. Holding him she could feel how vulnerable he was. So young and inexperienced. The way she felt when her brother had banished her. "Together we'll get through this" she murmured to him "we're stronger than we know."

He pulled away from her embrace nodding at her words "we need to face the darkness."

She nodded entwining her fingers with his "together we can defeat it."

"How do we go about seeking the darkness" he asked squeezing her hand.

"Just close your eyes" she instructed "the darkness will come to us."

He did as instructed. Closing his eyes he could feel her reassuring presence as Lydia held his hands. Her even breaths in sync with his. A jarring voice interrupted his thoughts. "Ly-di-a" the voice sing songed "it's so nice to see you again."

A strong tug on Keenan's free hand pulled the couple apart. "What's this? A present for me?" the voice sounded childlike in it's delight over finding Keenan.

"He's not for you" she shouted into the tangled mists and tentacles

"I think he is" the voice contradicted "you brought him in here with you. This place where I live. You know the power I have."

"No" Lydia screamed "I was a child then. I was lost and alone. He's not for you."

Laughter filled the mists swirling around them "then why did you bring him?"

"I came to get my niece" Keenan shouted "I'm warning you..."

"Warning me" the voice gasped in outrage "you come into my home and dare threaten me."

"It's not a threat. It's a promise..." Keenan gasped as he tentacles tightened around him squeezing the air from his lungs.

"Please" Lydia screamed "don't hurt him."

"What will you give me?" the voice demanded relaxing it's grip on the boy.

Licking her lips Lydia took a step forward "I'll stay here with you...."

"No" Keenan shouted struggling in the loosening grip of the tentacles "Lydia we're stronger together. Don't do this. Please" he screamed as the mists obscured his vision. Laughter filled his ears making his ear drums burst from the sheer volume. Blood trickled from his eyes and nose as he lost consciousness.

Lydia stirred beside Keenan. His arm fell limp to his side as his body slumped to the side. "Keenan" she cried patting his face "wake up. Please wake up."

***

Velvet looked deep into the dark bottomless pits the wandler used for eyes. Fear crouched at the edges of her awareness. Fear that Tommy would follow her inside the closet when he was finished with the toy box. Fear that he would attempt to confront the dark fae. Fear that he would get hurt. Fear she'd be unable to protect him.

"Tsk tsk tsk" the wandler gripped the girls chin holding her face in place "so much delicious fear for that weak human." 

Velvet's small wings fluttered helplessly in the dark. She tried to jerk her face free "leave him alone" she demanded. To her consternation the dark fae laughed. Filling the tight confines with her delight. Velvet's eyes went towards the closet door hoping Tommy hadn't heard. Wouldn't come to investigate the sound. Wouldn't try to rescue her.

The door opened a crack. A shaft of light pierced the darkness within. "Velvet" his voice called "are you alright?"

"No please no" she cried half pleading.

"Such concern for a mere human" the wandler smiled placing her hand on the girls stomach "what about this one? Aren't you concerned what I might do to it?"

Velvet turned confused eyes towards the evil visage of the Wandler "I don't...what are you...OMG." Velvet's heart plummeted. The queasy feeling. The bouts of sickness she thought were stomach flu. How long had it been? Her mind raced. When had been her last cycle? Last month? The month before? With everything that had been going on she'd lost track.

"You didn't know" the wandler licked her lips like a predator ready to pounce "this must be my lucky day. I do so love the young."

Struggling in the wandlers grasp Velvet tried to break free sensing her baby's distress. "Don't please you're hurting me."

"Him" the wandler corrected "I'm hurting him."

Pain knifed through her abdomen causing Velvet to double over panting "please he's too small. Too fragile."

Leaning over the stricken young woman the wandler whispered in her ear "choose. The baby or the human."

"No" Velvet refused shaking her head. She couldn't make that decision.

"Decide before the human comes in here" the wandler hissed "if you don't I'll take both."

Velvet looked towards the door the shaft of light was growing larger. How could she choose which would die? Who would live? The door opened. A figure stood in the light. "Tommy please forgive me" she begged before she passed out in a pool of blood.

***

Tommy wrapped his hands around the bars of his cell "let me out" he yelled yanking on the bars as if he thought he could break them.

Laughter filled the empty caverns, echoing through the empty cells around him. A dark, beautiful creature approached him eyes dancing with merriment.

"Help me please" Tommy pleaded "I need to get out of here. Velvet needs help. I need to find her."

"You humans are so stupid" the wandler shook her head as her new play thing took several steps backwards. Sniffing the air "you smell delicious. I think I'll take my time with you."

Sweat poured from him. His hair matted to his forehead while his clothes felt hot and sticky against his skin. "What do you want from me?" he demanded backing into the far wall.

"Your fear" she inhaled deeply as if she were enjoying the satisfying aroma of a fine meal.

Tommy could feel his body being drained of energy as he fell to his knees. Shivering he fought to lift his head "what are you doing to me?"

"Feeding" came the wandler's chilling reply.

Weakness invaded his body forcing him to the floor "what did you do to Velvet?" he mumbled forcing the words from his mouth.

Opening the cell door she walked over to his inert body. Kneeling beside him she ran her fingers through his hair "oh I wouldn't worry about her if I were you. She certainly didn't when she chose herself over you." She leaned in close whispering in his ear "I gave her the choice. Her life or yours." Standing she walked to the open cell door "she chose to save herself."

The slamming of the cell door caused Tommy to jerk in pain. Velvet wouldn't do that. Wouldn't betray him like that. He was positive of that. There had to be another reason. If there was, why had she asked him to forgive her? Fatigue and exhaustion overwhelmed him. His eyes grew weary and closed like iron sheets. It had to be a lie. Velvet wouldn't do this to him. Tears trickled down his cheeks as he drifted into an unsettled slumber.

Breathing hard Owen and Phoebe huddled in a corner of  a large room several stories up. "Do you think we're safe in here?" Phoebe asked leaning on her Uncles shoulders.

"I hope so" Owen said putting an arm around her. At the look of fear in her eyes he added "I'm sure we're safe in here. The mist is outside. It can't get in here." He wasn't so sure about that as he watched a tentacle squeeze beneath the door. "Maybe you should try another rainbow" he suggested.

"I'm awfully tired" Phoebe whined. "Can't you try?" she pleaded.

"This isn't my dreamworld" he pointed out.

"Why not?" she asked "you're here. Doesn't that make it your dreamworld too?"

Owen blinked at her. He hadn't thought of it like that before. If this was his dreamworld then he must be asleep right now. Probably fell asleep on the ride to Moonlight Falls. He scrunched up his face thinking hard, imagining bright happy thoughts.

"You almost did it" Phoebe clapped her hands together "you made a few sparkles."

"That's not going to help us" he said standing up dragging Phoebe with him "look" he pointed towards the door.

"It's getting inside" she cried moving closer to him "it's never done that before."

His eyes went wide and round watching the encroaching mist. Owen took Phoebe's hand leading her towards the farthest corner of the room "it's getting stronger."

"What should we do?" Phoebe asked clinging to her Uncle.

"We need to wake up" Owen said eyes never leaving the menace coming towards them.

"I've tried" Phoebe cried "I can't."

Closing his eyes for a moment Owen let himself relax. He could hear his parents voices pleading with him to wake. They were so far away and the darkness was coming. "I can't" he cried taking Phoebe's hand "we've got to run."

"Run where?" Phoebe cried eyes darting around the room.

"There" he pointed towards the only available escape route.

"You're crazy" she shook her head dragging her feet as Owen pulled her towards the window.

"It's a dream right?" Owen said looking at her.

"Yeah" she said uncertainly.

"Then we won't get hurt" he looked behind them towards the darkness as it almost filled the room behind them. "We don't have a choice or anything to lose. If we stay here the darkness has us."

Biting her lips she allowed him to help her up onto the window's ledge "what do you think will happen?"

Shrugging he gave her a lopsided grin "I don't know. Maybe we'll sprout wings and fly."

Looking down she nodded "I hope so."

***

Worry nagged at the back of Everett's mind watching the doctor attempting to awaken the small boy not much older then his daughter. He backed from the room feeling in the way and helpless. He walked down the stairs towards his daughters room. Would he be able to awaken her? Would she be in a coma like Owen and Kimberly?

Opening the door he found Phoebe thrashing about in her sleep. He reached a hand out to comfort her when he spotted the open closet door. He was positive it was closed when he had put her to bed. Had Phoebe gotten up and opened it? He doubted it. The closet was one of the many places she refused to enter, claiming the darkness lived there.

Cautiously he approached the closet turning the light on as he entered. Gasping in horror he dropped to his knees beside the huddled figure on the floor. 

Velvet's eyes fluttered open "I...thought I....could help" she panted in obvious pain.

In the semi dark confines of the closet Everett's hand slipped in a warm sticky substance covering the floor. Blood. "Are you hurt?" he asked.

"I think" her voice came out strangled "the baby...I lost the baby..."

"I'll get you to a doctor" he told her as he picked her up.

Emerging from the closet he could see the girl was pasty white. "Don't worry you'll be good as new in time," he tried to sound confident despite his growing doubts.

Her head lolled from side to side as she fought to stay conscious. "You need .... you need" she licked her lips "you need to destroy the object."

"Object?" Everett asked knowing it was pointless as he watched the girls eyes roll back in her head. What did she mean? What object? He resisted the urge to shake her. He kicked open the door where the doctor was packing up his things "she needs help" he cried as several individuals turned to look at him.

"What's wrong with her?" the doctor demanded his voice almost angry from the stress and frustration.

"I think she had a miscarriage" Everett said his voice sorrowful "I found her in a pool of blood."

"Put her here" the doctor waved towards an empty bed.

"Isn't there anything we can do for her?" Everett asked. He felt bad for the young woman. Why had she been in her daughter's closet was beside the point. She was going to need all the help she could get to cope with all of this.

"I'll call for an ambulance," the doctor said wearily rubbing the bridge of his nose "there's not much else that can be done."

Several hours later Velvet lay alone in the dark hospital room listening to the monotonous beeping of the monitors. A single tear trickled down her nose. She lost both. The baby and her boyfriend. The monitor registered her distress as a distant alarm was going off. Soon a nurse would appear with a syringe in hand promising her serenity. Sleep. She was afraid to sleep. Would she slip into a coma? Would she come face to face with the would be murderer of her baby? She put a hand protectively over her stomach. It had been so close. If Everett hadn't found her she would have lost the baby. At least that was going to be the official story.

She ignored the nurse who entered the room. She felt the sting as the nurse jabbed the needle into her arm. Another tear fell causing the nurse to briefly pat her shoulder before leaving the room.

Velvet's mind conjured up the moments in the closet when a woman appeared. At first she had thought the wandler had returned. She had tried to demand she return Tommy but the woman only shook her head at her. Her green eyes filled with compassion "I can save the baby if you agree to my terms."

At first her heart leapt with joy before plummeting in despair "what terms?" she croaked.

"When he is of age he must help me."

"Help" she mumbled "help with what?"

The woman stroked her hair "don't worry about the details. Your son will live in exchange for his help. He'll be instrumental in saving this dimension. All I need is your agreement."

It sounded good Velvet thought. Hours later she wondered what help this powerful creature would need from her unborn son.

She had agreed. Of course she had. She couldn't lose her baby on top of losing Tommy. She would have agreed to anything. She couldn't bear the thought of losing both of them. 

Slowly she drifted off to sleep. Her hand resting on her stomach. She'd do anything to protect her child. The last remnant of what he had left of Tommy was growing inside her. It was precious. It would be worth whatever the cost to hold her son in her arms.