By: Addie Logan
Larry smiled at Vicky. "It took some convincing where Heidi was
concerned, but I couldn't stay away. You and Mr. Cre�Victor�you're
the closest thing I have to family."
Vicky hugged Larry. "You've always been family to me. You were like
my second parent, you know."
"I know. Like a mother to you?"
Vicky laughed. "Something like that. I wanted to ask you something,
once we were alone."
"You mean once your father wasn't around to hear."
"Exactly. Tell me, what pushed him over the edge? When I came back,
he was a mess. I've never seen him like that. He'd given up, and
Victor Creed has never been a man to give up. What did I miss?"
"He wasn't the same after you left, Vicky," Larry said.
"There was more to it than that," Vicky replied. "I know my leaving
hurt Dad, but there was something else. He said something about a
woman."
"Sylvia."
"Yeah. A psychiatrist?"
"Victor decided he needed mental help." Larry snorted. "Anyway, he
saw Sylvia on Oprah, and�"
Vicky held up a hand. "Wait, is this Dr. Sylvia Masters, the
mind-reading shrink?"
"You've heard of her?"
Vicky chuckled. "Yeah. A friend of mine does a great impersonation.
My father honestly fell for her?"
"I know, shocked me, too. She didn't seem like much, especially when
Victor drug her unconscious to the car, but apparently the girl had
some kick to her."
"Drug her to the car unconscious?"
"Vicky, it's your father."
Vicky shrugged. "Good point. So what happened?"
"Well, they fought like crazy for a while, then they started
sleeping together. I think there may have been some "sessions" in
there somewhere where she tried to deal with your father's bloodlust
issues. Honestly, I didn't pay it too much attention. I was too busy
trying to deal with Heidi's family."
"Heidi's family?"
"Yeah, they came to visit. Don't think that thrilled your dad too
much there. I worried about the girl at first, but I figured she was
taking care of herself. Especially when Victor stopped chaining her
to the bed."
"He WHAT?"
"He didn't want her running off. Look, I was just glad he didn't
kick me out of the house like he did when Birdy was around. I didn't
understand their relationship, Vicky. I wish I could tell you more,
but I can't."
Vicky felt frustrated. The way her father had spoken about this
woman, she could tell she was someone special to him, but Larry
wasn't a lot of help as far as piecing things together went.
Suddenly, she had an idea. "Where is Sylvia now?"
"She went back home."
"Do you know how I could reach her?"
"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Vicky. The way she left,
I'm not sure if she'd want to hear anything about your father ever
again."
"Please, Larry. If there's a woman in this world that could actually
effect my father like that, I want to meet her."
Larry sighed. "I can get you her address. But if she slams the door
in your face, don't say I didn't warn you."
Vicky hugged Larry. "You're the best you know."
Larry hugged her back. "If you say so."
*** *** ***
Vicky wasn't really sure what made her want to meet Sylvia so badly.
She didn't believe in trying to push people together. If they wanted
to be together, they would be�if they didn't, they wouldn't. Still,
she had to meet the woman who had made her father fall in love.
Sylvia was puzzled for a moment when she opened the door to a girl
wearing an old T-Shirt of The Clash and a leather jacket. Then she
looked into her eyes and knew exactly who she was. "Victoria Creed?"
Vicky raised her eyebrow. Sylvia was not at all what she'd pictured.
"Yeah. I take it you're my dad's shrink."
"I was." Sylvia felt a sudden wave of panic. "Is Victor all right?"
"Yeah, he's fine. Why, you worried he wouldn't be?"
Sylvia blushed slightly. "No, I just�why don't you come in?"
"Beats standing in the hallway," she said with a shrug. She walked
in and looked around Sylvia's apartment. From the looks of things,
it had been awhile since the woman had worried about straightening
up. Vicky wondered if that meant she was as upset as her father had
been.
Sylvia found it almost hard to look at Vicky. The resemblance to
Victor was almost uncanny, and a little bit creepy since she was
most decidedly feminine in appearance. "Did he send you over here?"
Vicky rolled her eyes. "Please. He'd probably yell like crazy if he
knew I was even here."
"So why did you come?"
Vicky tried to come up with an answer. "Good question. Guess I was
curious."
"So you're not here to convince me to go back to your father."
"No. Why, you want me to?"
Sylvia looked down. "I don't love him."
Vicky knew a lie when she heard it. "Of course you don't. He is a
madman, after all."
Sylvia looked back up. "What sort of father was he? I want to hear
it from you."
"He was the best I could ever ask for," Vicky replied. "Despite what
he is, what he's done, he's capable of a lot bigger range of
emotions than most people give him credit for. He isn't pure evil."
"I know. He can be�very warm."
"I really should stay too long," Vicky said. "I just sorta wanted to
meet you."
"I'm glad you came by. I wanted to meet you, too."
Vicky gave her a slight smile before heading back towards the door.
She stopped, turning back to Sylvia. "I tried to hate him for what
he is, too. But sometimes, you just have to learn to take the good
with the bad." She walked out, shutting the door behind her.
Sylvia sat down on the couch, staring blankly ahead of her.
*** *** ***
For once Victor wished he'd listened to Larry. Apparently attempting
to find some random woman to fuck Sylvia's memory away really wasn't
a good idea. Now he was stuck in some dark bar listening to some
half-plastic woman rattle away about God knows what. It was almost
enough to make Victor rethink his vow never to kill again.
It was times like these that he was reminded of just how his
heightened senses were as much a curse as a blessing. He could smell
her cheap perfume and hairspray, could hear every individual tap of
her acrylic nails on the bar. A few months before, he would've had
her in a bed and on her back by then. Now, he just wanted to get
away.
He got up in the middle of one of her sentences, ignoring the look
she gave him. He didn't give a damn if she thought he was rude. He
didn't want to see her face ever again. What, did the woman take
make-up tips from Tammy Fay Baker?
He walked into the cool night air, breathing in the freshness the
bar had been lacking. He started walking, not wanting to be confined
anywhere anymore. He stayed lost in thought, not worrying about
where he was going. With his tracking sense, he'd always be able to
find his way home.
He didn't stop until the neighborhood he ended up looked all too
familiar. He cursed under his breath, wondering what part of his
twisted subconscious led him this way. Sylvia's apartment was just
about a block away. He told himself he should turn back, but he just
kept walking, until he was standing in front of his door.
There was a moment after he knocked that he contemplated running.
But then she answered the door, and he was looking down into her
eyes. He had no chance of getting away anymore. She made a breathy
little noise that he thought was probably his name, and Victor had
to fight the urge to take her right there in the hallway.
"What are you doing here?" Sylvia asked.
Victor didn't know what to say, so he just blurted out the first
thing that came to mind. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For not being what you wanted."
Sylvia wouldn't let herself look into his eyes. "I didn't want
anything from you, Victor."
"Do you now?"
Sylvia had long since fallen into a routine of self-preservation.
"No."
Victor gave a small nod. "Have a good life, Dr. Masters."
"You, too, Mr. Creed."
Victor walked away, refusing to look back. He was afraid of what
would happen if he saw her again.
He stepped out of her building and into the pouring rain. "Damn
Seattle," he muttered, starting back towards the club he'd been in
earlier.
"Victor!"
Victor froze, although he tried to tell his legs to keep walking.
Slowly he turned around and moved towards her, ignoring the voice in
his head that was screaming at him to do anything else. He stopped
when he was close enough to almost touch her. She was beautiful,
even with the rain beating down on her.
Sylvia reached out her hand to him, then stopped, leaving it in
midair. Victor took it, holding it tightly. "I love you," she said,
almost a whisper.
"I love you, too."
"I want to come back with you."
"I want you to come back. I can change. I can be what you want me to
be."
"I just want you to be you, Victor. I love all of you."
He smiled. "So what do we do now?"
"Well, if we take a cue from the movies, I think we're supposed to
stand here in the rain and kiss."
"Well, kissin' you is nice, Doc, but I think I'd rather go in where
it's dry and have make up sex."
Sylvia laughed as Victor scooped her up and headed back towards the
apartment with her in his arms.
*** *** ***
As always, reviews are much appreciated. Please let me know what you
thought!
