SERIES 9/Chapter 2: A CRUCIBLE OF LIES

This was a crisp evening. The autumn air settled on Collinsport with a cool blanket of fog encapsulating a chill like the Christmas scene of a snow-globe, silver and grey chilling to the bone. The Collins family had gathered together at Collinwood to welcome home Carolyn, Alexandra and Christopher who had flown back from London after the sudden death of Carolyn's companion Jude Powell.

In the drawing room, David, Siobhan, Curtis and Barnabas sat patiently for the other's to arrive; tired, terribly sad, and in an emotional upheaval that would be hard to reign in.

As the family sat making small talk, the front door finally opened and in walked Chris, Alex and Carolyn. Their faces flush and pink from the cold air outside, their eyes filled with happiness at finally being home. Everyone rushed into the foyer, except Barnabas who lagged behind in the drawing room alone.

"Oh Carolyn!" Siobhan said closing in on Carolyn with a big hug. "I'm so sorry."

"It's good you're home son." David said hugging his adopted son Christopher.

"I never thought we'd be back, but here we are." Chris said, his throat feeling tight with nerves. His time in Collinsport had been one filled with some of the most terrifying memories anyone could ever have. Chris was, after all, the child of an affair between Kimberly Collins (David's late ex-wife) and Victor Reed. Victor and Kimberly had genetically altered Chris' DNA so that any moment they'd choose, Chris' DNA would mutate into that of a werewolf. The experiment was created as a devilish plot of the Vampire Hunter organization Kim and Victor were members of to vanquish the Collins family. The memory of that plot, that distortion of Chris' life still warped his mind about his mother and father, and the memory of how their plan backfired still haunted him today.

Chris, in werewolf form killed  his own father on the front lawn Collinwood mansion, the same front lawn he had to pass to get into the house.

"Stop what you're doing." David said noticing Chris' panic and nerves begin to bubble up as the other's began to catch up and walk into the drawing room.

"What?" Chris asked, pretending nothing was bothering him.

"What happened in the past is the past. You're no longer the monster your mother and father made you. You're ok, Chris. You're safe  now." David confirmed to his 27 year old adopted son.

Chris nodded his head and smiled and followed David and the rest of the family into the drawing room where Barnabas was waiting.

"Welcome home." Barnabas said in a soft but striking voice.

"You kept your word." A mournful Carolyn responded, her black outfit striking a sad contrast to the variant colors of the room.

"I said I'd be here if and when you returned, and here I am. I would never leave this place, it's our home, and I'm glad you're back." Barnabas said pulling Carolyn close for a hug. "I'm glad you're back too, little one." He said grinning at Alexandra.

"It's nice to see you. It's nice to see all of you. Thank you so much for getting us back here so quickly." Alexandra said. "The last two days have been...." She paused.

"A nightmare." Carolyn said finishing Alexandra's thought.

"We're just glad you're all back here with the people that love you and support you in such a horrible time, we'll do anything for you. Anything you need just ask." David said.

"Caleb and Kat are on a trip in Asia, but send their love. They wish they could have been here to welcome you too. Maggie said she'd let you catch up with us then come by later on this week to see you." Siobhan continued.

"Well if there's anything else you'll need, I best be off." Curtis said.

"Thank you Curt, we'll talk soon." David answered as Curtis left the room.

"Who is that?" Alex questioned.

"Well, not that you need any more surprises, but that's Vicky's son. Well a son she adopted and never told us about. His name is Curtis, he came around last year and has been a huge help getting things together for the Fleet since Caleb has been gone. He's really pulling his own." David explained.

"Listen, thank you all for helping me and getting things straightened out here but I'd really just like to go up to my room and rest." Carolyn said cutting the welcome wagon chatter short.

"Why don't I help you take your things upstairs." Barnabas interjected as he linked arms with Carolyn and grabbed her bag.

As the others watched Carolyn slink back to her native room, they could finally speak freely. There was a worry on David's face at how depressed Carolyn seemed.

"She's taking this so hard." Alex noted.

"What can we do for her?" David asked.

"It's so soon after Jude's death, I don't know if we should do anything right now. We just need to let her mourn, we have to allow her to have some space and get out all of the pain for as long as it takes. The process after someone loses a loved one can take a very long time and for someone with Carolyn's history of loss, this may take a lot longer." Siobhan said, her psychiatrist hat firmly in place. 

"But, she's dressing so ....I mean I understand Jude was someone she saw as her partner, her lover, her maybe-someday-husband, but she's dressing like a widow. She's in all black. Her hair isn't done, she looks almost ill." David remarked.

"She barley says a word to us. For the last two days she's been incredibly quiet. Is that natural?" Christopher asked Siobhan.

"Of course it is. She's going through a lot of pain, it's something we all go through in times like these." Siobhan explained.

"No, I'm worried, this feels...something is different about this." Alex noted. "I know my mother better than I know anyone on earth, and she's reacting to Jude's death worse than how she reacted to my father's. She's gone so inside of her own mind that I'm frightened we'll never get her out again." Alex said.

"I see that too." David agreed. "The spark in her eyes never left her no matter what tragedy she was going through, but now....." he paused. "...the important thing, I guess, is that she's home with the rest of us. Alex we'll take care of everything. Carolyn will be back to her normal fiery self in a matter of months, I promise." David said, his voice seeming very sure of itself despite his facial reaction showing no sines of confidence.

****

"So you're not surprised to see me?" Carolyn said as she began to unpack.

"You said you'd be home again sometime, so no, I am not. But I am very sorry for what happened to Jude." Barnabas answered.

"Are you?" She questioned.

"I am." He said surprised by her reaction, sitting on a pure white love-seat in the dimly lit bedroom.

"Barnabas, Jude was healthy as a horse!" Carolyn said turning around to face Barnabas with swift motion. "There is no way something could have gone wrong inside of him that would have killed him, nothing. Something else happened, something that I can't explain. But maybe you can."

"What do you mean? What would I know of Jude's death?" Barnabas asked.

"I'll just ask you straight forward, and I want a straight forward answer Barnabas Collins, because I know what I felt the night Jude died, I have felt that feeling around you almost all my life. Did you have anything to do with his death? Did you do anything, ANYTHING, to cause Jude Powell to die?" Carolyn said in a fleeting moment of anger and mourning all mixed into one. Her mouth tight and her eyes centered on Barnabas' face.

He stood up and walked over to his grieving cousin who was now shaking with anger in the center of her bedroom. The white carpet a direct contrast to the black outfit she had on. Her eyes still laser focusing on her supernatural cousin's pale face.

"I would never, ever do that to you Carolyn. Never." He answered softly.

"Again, you'd never do that to me again. You did it to me before....Jeb, then Jack. They're all dead for reasons that you're directly or indirectly responsible for. Did you add Jude to that list too?" She questioned.

"No." Barnabas growled.

"I don't believe you." She said to his quick answer.

"Believe me Carolyn, I did nothing, absolutely nothing to Jude or to you or to anyone. I promise you that as I promised to be here once you returned." Barnabas said convincingly.

Carolyn scoffed in frustration.

"I think you should leave now, go back to the Old House or wherever you stay. Just...I just need some time alone." Carolyn said, turning back to her unpacking.

"You don't believe me?" He questioned.

"I don't believe that Jude is dead--not yet. I have so much on my mind, I don't know what's what, or who's who, or even what day it is." Carolyn said, her mind obviously overwrought with grief.

"Carolyn, listen to me, I've done many sinister things in my past and I don't blame you for looking at what happen to Jude suspiciously, but I would never do anything to hurt Jude. I would have no reason to, all of my other...." Barnabas paused to find the right word "...indiscretions...had good reasons." He explained.

Carolyn turned back to face Barnabas, he was standing closer to her this time, she looked deep into his dark eyes. She wanted to feel something from him she wanted to see the truth by just looking into his eyes, something there would surly tell her the truth. She wanted to trust him, she wanted to feel that he had her best interest at heart but deep down inside she knew that as much as she cared for her cousin Barnabas she knew that if she trusted too much he would ultimately disappoint her because he was, after all, a creature of darkness, a supernatural being who's existence was that of dwelling in the shadows, and nothing that lived in that realm could ever be fully trusted.

"Something is different about you." She said after a long pause staring into his eyes.

"What do you think is different?" he questioned.

"I don't know. But something is different. You've changed the year I've been away, haven't you?" Carolyn said, still looking deeper still into his eyes.

Barnabas felt that Carolyn was reaching into his soul, something in her could always read him like the pages of a novel, every sentence of his life she could see. It was as if she was carefully placing herself into his mind, slowly and meticulously creeping into his subconscious. Her stare, her deep powerful stare, was pulling into his mind.

"I must go." Barnabas quickly said, breaking Carolyn's gaze. "I'll return tomorrow to check on you and hopefully you'll be feeling better. Goodnight cousin Carolyn." Barnabas said, quickly making his way out of the room.

Carolyn was just moments away from seeing deep inside Barnabas. The two had a connection that was interlinked for over 50 years, more than anyone in the family. She could see him for what he was and he could see her for the same, and she was right again.

Barnabas was  hiding something, something new, something wicked. A secret he could not have spoiled anytime soon.

But it was already too late, Carolyn was already suspicious.

****

Across town at the Evans family cottage, Maggie Evans was putting together a larger wicker welcome home basket filled with Collinsport treats like Chocolates from the local chocolatier, two bottles of locally made wine, some sea-salted crackers Maggie backed herself and some Collins Fishing Fleet caviar for her good friend Carolyn when she was suddenly interrupted by a phone call. 

Maggie dashed over to the living room where the phone was ringing and quickly picked it up, small bits of shredded up newspaper she was using as filler in the basket still clutched in her free hand.

"Oh Kat! Honey! It's so good to hear your voice! Where are you?" Maggie said as she heard her daughter on the other end. "My goodness, Beijing! You're so far away honey, hows the baby?.....oh that's good, hon, that's good, I suppose you heard about Carolyn and Jude?.........no,  no, I haven't been over yet I wanted to give her some breathing room before I went by and said hello. Say, listen, your brother Sebastian is coming back to town!... That's right! .... Oh I know, I'm sure he'll be sad that he missed you too honey, he said he had some major news to tell.....whats that?.....what news? Ohhh...well I think its about the young lady he's been dating since he's been in Boston......mmmhmm, I've seen a photo too...he text messaged it to ---what?... OF COURSE I text message!!....anyway, her name is Serena, and she's gorgeous, I can't wait to meet her, he'll be here in a few days. .................ok honey, you guys have a wonderful trip, give my love to my baby grandson Canan and Caleb too, ok? ....Ok... Love you back!" 

And with that, Maggie went back to her basket, but in Boston, the new woman in Sebastian's life was sitting in the living room of his small apartment as he took a shower. She was indeed beautiful. Her skin was the color of mocha, and her eyes were a sea-foam green, with perfectly plump lips. 

Serena Bellmore, the new woman Sebastian Banning's life had made him happy, he was after all, a man who's life had been turned upside down when he too was afflicted with the werewolf serum, the same kind that Christopher was. He too had lived tormented the last few years, bearing the scorn of his own conscious knowing that, just like Chris, had  killed his own father Thatcher while under the werewolf transformation.

But Serena, who had met Sebastian in a book store on Boylston Street in Boston, had somehow Svengali'ed her way into his heart. She made him feel whole, real, and connected to life outside of his past and Collinsport...he was finally himself again, and he had Serena to thank for it.. 

As Sebastian showered, Serena nervously paced back and forth in the living room passing every two seconds by the hallway that ended at the doorway to the bathroom. She had her cell phone in her hand, then the call she was so nervous about finally came through.

"Doctor?" Serena answered anxiously. 

"Ms. Bellmore you've kept me waiting too long." a man's voice said on the other line. 

"I'm sorry, I know that I told you I'd have what you needed by the end of the week but something has come up, you'll have to give me more time." Serena said in a whisper as she continued to listen to the shower raging from the hallway.

"How much more? I've been very patient, and you've already been paid, if I give you more time I should start to feel as if you've abused my kindness of early payment. Wouldn't you think that if you were in my position?" the mysterious Doctor said as he sat in his dark office somewhere. 

"I completely understand, Dr. Shaw, but Sebastian wants to introduce me to his mother and if I have to keep this going I have to go, there's no way I can skip out on this meeting without making him suspicious. Things have been going so well this far, I can't risk ..." Serena suddenly heard the water in the shower stop. "Dr. Shaw I have to go, but I promise I'll get you what you need." She said trying to hurry the phone call before Sebastian came out of the bathroom.

"Wait!" Dr. Shaw yelped. "Where is this mother of his?" 

"She lives in Collinsport, Maine. We're going up to see her this weekend." Serena replied. 

"Fine. We'll do it there. I'll find my way to Collinsport later this week and we'll connect when you're there. Ms. Bellmore I will get what I need from you...no matter what, and make no mistake, if I have to follow you to Antarctica to get it, I will. Do you understand?" The Doctor said in a growling voice.

"I Understand." Serena replied, just seconds before Sebastian exited the bathroom wrapped only in white towel and his body still glistening from the water.

"You say something?" Sebastian said, the room light shining on his wet body from the entrance to the hall from the living room where Serena was standing.

"What? Oh! Ummm no, no, nothing. I was just on the phone." She stammered. 

"Oh! Who called?" He innocently questioned.

"Just a girlfriend of mine, she asked if we could meet her for drinks later this week but I was telling her how we had plans with your mom in Collinsport." Serena said, slowly making her way over to Sebastian's wet body. She curled up under his arm and kissed his lips easily getting him to think of something other than the phone call she just had.

Sebastian grinned slyly. He was in love, more than he had ever been before and he couldn't wait for his mom to finally meet the woman that had changed his life.

"You're going to love my mother. She's incredibly kind and so welcoming. And she's going to love you too. This is going to be one hell-of-a weekend." Sebastian said to his glowing girlfriend.

"You have no idea.." She replied in a hushed voice as Sebastian quickly dashed back down the hall to get into clothes. "You have no..... idea." 

****

In the dark corners of the night inside the basement of the Old House, Barnabas sat in a comfy purple velvet char staring at the back lit coffin in the center of the room. Inside that coffin was a secret that Barnabas had been hiding for most of the past year. A secret that he discovered while Carolyn was away in England and while David and Siobhan had been planning for their new baby, and while everyone ran around saying goodbye to Caleb and Kat just before they departed on their on exciting adventure in Asia. 

The secret inside the coffin was of a person Barnabas had long since thought gone from his life. A person that he thought he would never see again, someone that at one time was so important in his life that he almost gave up his life to safe on many occasions. In a way, this person, laying in the coffin that Barnabas had secretly delivered to him from a far, far away cemetery of long ago was his equal, his connection to the past, and the love of his life---beyond Josette. 

Barnabas, still sitting in the velvet chair stared at the coffin in silence and played with a small crystal medallion in his hand. He rolled it around over and over the palm of his hand allowing the small edges of the crystal to poke and scrape his skin like tiny little needles. 

He stood up and walked over to the coffin and slowly opened it's lid and looked inside. There she was...his equal. The one never thought he'd see again in this world. 

He grabbed the medallion of crystal and placed the necklace it was attached to around the woman's head. 

"This was yours." He whispered. "Soon, soon you'll come back to me when the time is right. When the planet's align and the time is right you'll come back and we can pick up exactly where we left off. We have much to discuss, and I promise you, we'll never be separated again." 

This promise, burned through his tongue like a raging fire, and nothing, not anyone dead or alive would stop him from getting what he wanted.