4.31 The Awakening

Heath emerged from the deep recesses of the closet. He handed the doll to Quinn who stood with her hand out waiting. He put a comforting hand on Everett's shoulder as the younger man stumbled forward reaching for his daughter's favorite doll. "Let it go" Heath advised giving Everett's shoulder a firm shake.

"It's Phoebe's favorite" he mumbled close to tears as he struggled briefly in his father in laws arms.

"It's either the doll or your daughter" Quinn announced not unkindly but nonetheless firm.

"This better work" Everette moaned as he watched helplessly as Quinn turned leaving the room.

"It will" Heath gripped the younger man firmly. "It has to" he added to himself. 

They followed Quinn into the makeshift infirmary. Heath helped Everett to his chair beside Kimberly's bedside while he joined Don at Owen's side. All eyes were on Quinn as she mumbled 

something in preparation of destroying the doll and it's link to the wandler.

Heath didn't know what happened. One moment the doll seemed to levitate above the floor then it was gone. He turned towards Owen expecting immediate results. Grabbing the boys hand he looked over at Don "nothing's happening. He's still asleep."

Everett staggered to his feet. He moved like a raging bull towards Quinn "it didn't work. You said it would and it didn't."

Adam grabbed the young man's arms before he reached Quinn "calm down. Give her a chance." He understood why the boy was upset. He'd be upset too. He was upset. Once he had the boy settled down a figure appeared before Quinn. Dark, exotic, beautiful. Her eyes darted around the room. You could feel the anger radiating from her "give it to me" the woman demanded.

Quinn calmly stared at the wandler "it's not yours."

"Give it to me" she repeated through gritted teeth "you're ruining everything."

"Good" Quinn said with a slight smile tugging at her lips.

The wandler screamed fingers seeking to wrap around Quinn's thin neck. Without thinking Adam launched himself towards the wandler in an attempt to protect Quinn.

"I don't need your help" Quinn barked at him throwing the wandler from her. Before the wandler could retaliate she vanished. "Huh" Quinn grunted in surprise "I didn't expect that" she muttered to herself. She didn't have time to consider what happened when a cry was heard. "Daddy I knew you'd be here" Quinn smiled watching as the young father hugged his daughter. She left as the others began to wake up. She had work to do before she could relax and enjoy the results of what she had accomplished.

***

Adam looked down when someone silently slipped their hand into his. A smile tugged at his lips as he gazed into his wife's bright green eyes.

"This is good" she said "our family will be whole again."

He could feel the tears that slid down his nose. He did nothing to hide them. He didn't care if it were undignified for a ruler to be seen crying. He was human, well technically he was a vampire with the lingering sentiments of a human. He wouldn't change who he was for anyone. It's what made him the ruler he was and the people of Moonlight Falls had their chance for someone else. They still chose him. He wrapped a lock of her once red/gold hair around his index finger "yes it is" he agreed satisfied with the immediate results of a job well done.

She nodded reaching to touch his hand "let's check on our son" she murmured leading the way to where Keenan lay talking to Lydia. Beverly liked the green skinned young woman even though she seemed to be a bit skittish towards accepting their invitation to be part of the family. 

Keenan struggled to sit up upon seeing his parents approaching them "dad" he croaked.

"Easy son" Adam gently pushed him back towards the pillow "rest" Adam advised "tomorrow you can tell me all about what happened." He looked up catching Lydia watching him "you have nothing to fear from us" he assured her "you couldn't have stopped Keenan from following you. I know my son. He'd have followed you regardless. This way we knew what happened to him." He patted the girls shoulder "he loves you."

She blinked back tears "thank you" she mouthed taking Keenan's hand in hers.

"When this has all calmed down" Beverly smiled down at the young couple "you must come for dinner. I want to get to know the girl my son would risk his life for."

"I'd like that" Lydia murmured as Beverly and Adam went to the next bed to speak consolingly to the next person.

"They like you" Keenan observed squeezing her hand. His eyes closed for a moment. He fought the urge to sleep forcing his eyes open. "I don't want to sleep" he smiled up at her "I'm afraid I won't wake up again."

Lydia ran her fingers across his forehead removing his hair from his face. A sort of chuckle snort escaped from her. "I'll be right here when you wake up" she soothed blinking hard to keep from crying as she pushed him flat on the bed beneath him.

"They really do like you" Keenan repeated watching her retreat into herself. "You don't have to be afraid. They won't reject you. I promise they won't."

"How?" she cried biting her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood "they don't even know me."

"They're not like your family" he blurted immediately regretting his poor choice of words as soon as they were out. She looked so lost. So alone. So fragile. "They won't judge you. Not like you expect."

"How do you know?" she cried "my own brother cast me out. I can never go home. How do I know your dad won't do the same to me? Look at these spots" she pointed to her legs "I'm forever marked by darkness. It recognizes me. What if they want me to leave because of that connection?"

Keenan watched the tears roll down her cheeks as she picked at the sheets "they won't do that" his voice was low but firm. It caught her attention enough to glance up at him "I know they won't do that."

"How do you know?" she asked again feeling as if that question was on repeat in her brain.

"Simple" he smiled up at her "they haven't cast me out." He took her hand "Beverly isn't my mom yet she accepted me from the moment they knew I was coming. Dad despite how I came into existence loved me from the start. I owe half my genetics to an evil being that has done nothing but torment my family."

"They have stood beside you despite not understanding the power you have" she sniffed leaning closer to him "they still consider you family."

"Yes they do. They have never rejected me not even when all of Moonlight Falls did. I still have my family." Keenan raised her hand to his lips.

"You still have me" she smiled kissing his mouth "I won't leave you either."

"Good because I won't let you leave" Keenan smiled as his eyes closed "you're stuck with me forever."

She sat up blushing a little when she found Keenan's parents watching them. Adam simply nodded as if confirming something then put his arm around his wife.

***

Tommy smiled up at Velvet "you're pregnant." It was a statement not a question.

"How did you?" her voice faded as she looked away "that creature told you didn't she?"

"She thought it would cause me pain" Tommy agreed lifting a trembling hand up to caress her cheek. He frowned when she flinched from his touch. He let his hand fall back to his side too weak to do anything else "what's wrong?" he asked "don't you want a baby with me?"

"No" she cried "it isn't that." She shook her head blinking back tears "I....I didn't know I was pregnant until the wandler touched him."

Shivers ran up and down his spine "did she hurt you? Him?"

Velvet glanced down when Tommy's hand covered hers. His gentle unassuming touch broke her resolve. A sob escaped like a clap of thunder. Deep wracking sobs followed as she recalled the minutes she lay in a pool of her own blood knowing the life she carried had been ruthlessly extinguished. Through her tears she gazed into Tommy's eyes. She could see his pain, his love, his fear and concern for her.

Tommy wished he wasn't so weak as he struggled to sit up and pull Velvet into his arms. He could feel the eyes of everyone in the room upon them despite their attempts to give them as much privacy as they could. What happened to her? He had never seen her so vulnerable before. He knew without needing her to reply that it had been bad. Maybe even life threatening. He wanted to wrap his fingers around that creatures neck if that monster had hurt her. "Shh" he soothed "you don't have to tell me. I know whatever it was was bad." He felt her arms slip around him clinging to him "I'm here now and together we'll face whatever comes next."

She breathed deeply leaning on him needing his strength. This wasn't a matter of who was human and who wasn't. She needed him to hold her to tell her he loved her. She needed him even though she hadn't told him. Would he feel the same way when she told him about Quinn? What would he do when Quinn came to collect on her promise? She gulped in another deep breath. She couldn't tell. Not now. Not when he had just gotten back. "Hold me" she begged "tell me you love me."

His arms tightened around her despite how weak he felt "I love you" he murmured.

***

"Daddy" Owen smiled happily up at Heath "you made it out."

"I did" he confirmed with a nod.

"Then you" Owen's eyes slid over towards Phoebe being cradled in her parents arms.

"I'm sorry" Heath knew what Owen was thinking. He was proud of his son. He was a sensitive soul even when his rambunctious nature led him from one misadventure to the next.

Owen sniffed wiping at his eyes "it's ok. Phoebe knew it was a possibility. I just wish" he sighed "I wish there was another way."

"As do I" Heath told him pulling his young son close glad that for now his son still wanted cuddles from his parents.

"It wasn't a dreamscape was it?" Owen asked his blue eyes serious "that was a real place. A bad place."

Heath debated within himself to either lie or tell his son the truth. He saw the same struggle in his husbands eyes "yes son that was a real place."

Nodding he leaned into Heath "I thought so." His eyes closed for a moment. He was so tired yet he didn't want to sleep "daddy will I go there again? Will I go there each time I fall asleep?"

Heath peered into his son's scared eyes. He could see the fear deep inside. He wanted assure him that he had nothing to worry about. Was the danger over? Was there something worse out there that they hadn't encountered yet? He just didn't know.

Don sensing the inner turmoil of his husband kissed his son's cheek "you don't have to worry about that now. When you close your eyes you'll be in fields of green grass playing with all your friends. You'll have lots of fun. You have nothing to fear because daddy and I will be right here. Watching over you." He looked up finding Heath staring at him with a look of gratitude on his handsome face.

"I love you" he murmured before looking down at their son who was losing the battle to stay awake 

"I think he's sleeping."

"It's probably the first peaceful sleep he's had in a long time" Don said pulling the covers up "you should do the same. I know with the pressures of running Midnight Hollow and worrying about the kids you haven't slept properly in months."

Smiling weakly Heath yawned leaning into Don "you're right but I can't leave him yet. What if he wakes up and needs me?"

Kissing his forehead Don smiled gently "rest your head on my shoulder. I'll wake you if he needs you."

"Are you sure?" Heath asked moving to do as Don suggested.

"Positive" Don said lightly running his fingers through Heath's hair the way he knew Heath liked it.

***

"Daddy" Phoebe cried bolting from the bed. Crawling into her dad's lap while he smoothed Kimberly's long hair "it worked didn't it?"

"What worked?" he asked giving his daughter a quick kiss on the cheek.

"It was dollie who saved us" she said "Grandpa asked where she was. Now she's gone and we're home."

Kimberly reached up to stroke her daughters long hair "I'm sorry sweetie."

"For what mommy?" she asked her eyes large and innocent.

"For what happened to dollie" Kimberly asked "I know how much you loved her."

"No mommy dollie's happy now" Phoebe smiled "she went to live with the unicorns and other good dollies. She didn't want to do all those bad things the wandler made her do."

"I'm sure she didn't" Everett assured her "are you ok with not seeing dollie?"

Nodding "she's better now" Phoebe murmured leaning into him. Her eyes closed then fluttered open 

"I don't want to sleep," she complained even though her eyes were closing again.

"It's ok now baby girl" Kimberly soothed "the darkness is gone and it can't hurt you anymore."

"It didn't hurt me" she contradicted "just the ones who tried to help me. Mommy" she cried taking her mom's hand clinging to it as if she were afraid she'd leave "I'm sorry."

"Oh sweetie you have nothing to be sorry for" Kimberly struggled to sit up "it's what mommy's do for their baby's when they're in trouble. We help them no matter what."

"I love you" Phoebe closed her eyes slipping into a deep restful sleep.

"Is it really over?" Everett asked keeping his voice low so as to not disturb their daughter.

Nodding Kimberly rested her head on her hand "yes it is. The object the wandler was attached to is gone. Without that link the darkness can't get to us. It's trapped inside its realm."

"I'm sorry" Everett murmured carefully transferring Phoebe's sleeping form to the bed beside her mother.

Reaching up Kimberly lovingly stroked his chin "it's not your fault I got trapped in there."

His eyes darted away "yes it is. If I hadn't asked you to connect with her. None of this would have happened."

"Don't blame yourself I had a choice" she pushed gently on the back of his head forcing his face down to hers. Tenderly she kissed his lips. Felt his hesitation as their lips touched "I love you" she murmured softly. "You don't need to feel guilty over what happened. You couldn't have known what would happen. You were here trying to reach me. I could have turned back. I chose to stay. I chose to stay with Phoebe."

He blinked. His eyes filled with confusion and hurt "why?" he demanded.

"She needed me. She needed my strength to keep running from the darkness. Once I was in there I could feel how weak she was becoming. I couldn't let that thing have our baby."

He took a deep breath, heart pounding loudly inside his ears. She knew. She could have come back to him and didn't. He tried to convince himself that it was for the best. Phoebe needed her. In time, he hoped, that's how he would see it. At this moment all he could see was the pain she had put him through holding her lifeless body, thinking she was dead. The weeks of watching her lying there unresponsive to him and everything else. He gulped in air attempting to repress the feelings of hurt and pain he had. Now wasn't the time to fall apart. He had to be strong. Had to keep it together. Had to pretend it didn't matter. Pretend he understood why and hope that given time he would.

***

Quinn entered the visitors hall tapping her feet as time ticked by. Eventually the door opened and Erix walked in. Eyes puffy like he hadn't slept in days. "It was you" Quinn accused as he approached "who enlisted the help of the wandler."

"It was me" he agreed "but it was my wife who gave the wandler it's orders. I rescinded my contract but the control isn't mine." He gave Quinn a wary look "I recalled the Wandler but it didn't come to me."

"Yes I know" Quinn gave him an icy glare "once we destroyed her link to the child the wandler vanished. I presumed it came here."

"Here?" Erix shook his head "why would it come here?"

"You commissioned it" Quinn's eyes narrowed "where is it? It's futile to try and hide it from me."

"I'm not. I have grown sick of what it was doing to the child. I had no stomach for it. I admit to seeking it's help but it was my wife who commissioned it without my approval."

"Good thing I did as it turned out" his wife's voice spoke behind them "the wandler is in my employ. It answers to me. I want my own children." She gave her husband a spiteful glare "I don't care what it takes."

"What have you done?" Erix demanded taking a step nearer.

Ignoring him except for the occasional hateful sneer she addressed herself to Quinn. "I'll give you the wandler once you fix what you've done to us. Give us the ability to have children again."

"Why would I do that?" she scoffed "so you can teach it to hate as you hate?"

"I wouldn't do that" she protested.

"All you have to offer is hate" Erix interrupted.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with your husband" Quinn said turning to leave.

"You'll regret this" the woman threatened.

Turning to face her Quinn said "my patience is wearing thin."

"As does mine" she retorted "I had the wandler touch the child."

Erix gasped "how could you?"

"If I can't have a child neither can the dimension watcher's little pet."

"You're a despicable vile woman" Erix spat at his once adored wife.

"Spare me your insults" she raised her hand to cut him off "I'll have what I want or she'll watch her precious pets suffer. First infertility for the girl. Then sterility for all the next generation. Then I'll have accidents befall the rest until the entire family is wiped out."

Quinn swallowed her ready retort. Repressed her anger. She wouldn't let this woman's threats effect her. "You will not win" she said turning her back to the woman and vanished. She would find a solution before her dimension fell apart. It was too closely linked to Audric's and Phoenix's. If her's went down so would the others. She had no choice but to win