| Chapter 12: Mac stood by the edge of the docks and watched as the crane pulled the car out of the water. Taggert soon joined him and said, "I'm sorry commissioner but there was no sign of any survivors and with the tide going out, we might not find any bodies at all." "I know but keep looking for a little bit longer. I owe Bobbie that much," Mac said in a quiet tone voice. "Yes, sir," Taggert said looking at Mac with sad eyes but kept his feelings to himself. He just went about his business without argument. Mac stood watching the workers search for a little while longer but then gave up. He headed to Kelly's where everyone waited for news on Bobbie. Mac walked in and found the place as quiet as a church. Ruby and Amy were pouring coffee and trying to keep busy. Felicia was the first to spot him and ran to his side. "Any word?" She asked her voice cracking as she spoke. "Nothing. They are giving up. If Bobbie was alive, we would have found her by now," Mac said grabbing his wife and comforting her. He looked around as the others broke down and started to grieve for their lost friend. The only one that didn't show any emotion was Lucky. He stood frozen by the front window not moving or making a sound. Kevin moved from Lucy's side and walked to him. "Lucky, are you all right?" Kevin asked trying to put a gentle hand on his shoulder but Lucky just pulled away. "I'm fine," The boy snapped and headed out the front door. Lucky headed down to the docks thinking about all the death and losses he had suffered lately. He couldn't deal with one more so he started to shut that part of him down. "No," Nikolas said, his words hardly heard when he spoke. Alexis stood there holding her arms out to him but the boy stood still. "Have them keep looking. He can't be gone," Nikolas demanded, his voice growing stronger as the shock started to wear off. "I'm sorry, Nikolas but there is nothing we can do. They think the tide took the bodies out to sea," Alexis told him. She was having trouble saying the words herself. Alexis couldn't help but look over at Helena. Who stood there with the most pleased look on her face. It changed suddenly as Nikolas turned around and looked at her. She was now showing grief and shock as a normal person. "Please, Grandmother. Order them to keep on looking. Father can't be dead." "Nikolas, I know how you feel. Stefan was my son and I cared for him no matter what he did in life. I know this hard but everyone is right. There is nothing we can do for him now," Helena said her voice was full of love and support. She put an arm around her grandson and walked off with him. Alexis watched them leave and her stomach turned at the sight. She knew that Helena caused Stefan and Bobbie's death but at the moment she was helpless. All Alexis could hope for was that Nikolas would soon see through her game and come around. Then maybe the both of them could finally stop her cold. If not, Alexis' life was now in the hands of the very person that would kill her if she got out of line just once. It was Ruby that went and told Luke about Bobbie. He stood there cold and frozen as she told him everything. "Where is Lucky?" Luke demanded. "We finally talked him into going back to Bobbie's house. He hasn't said too much and Kevin is starting to worry. He thinks Lucky has lost too much and can't deal with any more death," Ruby said looking at Luke for some sign of how he was dealing with everything himself. "The judge was notified as we feared and he will decided soon where Lucky will go to live." "He goes with you. I don't care what it costs or what it takes. My son isn't going to be put in some cold system because some judge says so," Luke said getting sick of people deciding what was best for all of them. He knew that Bobbie's death wasn't an accident but at the moment he could do nothing about it. After he got out, he was going to find the person responsible and destroy them. "Luke, I'll do what I can but I don't think he will let me," Ruby said putting a genial hand on him but Luke pulled away. "I don't care what the judge orders, Lucky is not going to spend any time in some foster home. Tell Kevin or who ever that will listen to you to get this stopped," Luke yelled. "Okay," Ruby said looking over her shoulder at the door. She knew the doctor on the floor was worried about Luke's reaction and was standing by if he started to lose control. "but keep it down. They think you might be dangerous," Ruby told him trying to smile but failed. "Let'em try," Luke said coldly looking at the door with pure hate in his eyes. "Luke please, "Ruby begged. "If you lose it now, the judge might take it the wrong way. You are doing so good that Kevin might get Lucky back to you when you get out. All you have to do is keep your cool for a few more months, that is it." She placed a hand on his shoulder and Luke knew she wasn't conning him. "Ok," Luke muttered. "I'll be a good boy." "I wanted our first meeting to be different. I wanted to kick your butt but right now, All I care about is that I don't lose what is left of my family," Ruby said started to cry. Luke pulled her in his arms and held her tight. "You won't lose me," Luke said as he held her. Ruby stood and cried for a long time. She never dreamed that out of all of them. Bobbie would have died first. Her bet would have been Luke but it looks like he still had a few lives left before he died. Stefan was coughing and choking on the salt water but he kept on pulling until he got Bobbie out of the water and they both laid on the dry ground. The docks were just above them and Stefan had found safety in one of the many channels that ran underneath it. He checked Bobbie out to make sure she was breathing and the collapsed with exhaustion. It was dark when, Stefan woke up and Bobbie was starting to come around. He watched for a few moments as she slowly regained her senses. "Where are we?" she asked. "Under the docks. I don't know what part of it but we are safe for now," Stefan told her placing a gentle hand on her as he tried get her to lay back down. "You kept us here? Why didn't you get help? They must think the worst by now. I have to go," Bobbie said in a rush as she tried to get up but Stefan stopped her. "No," he said his voice clear and forceful. "If you go out now and they see you. We are both good as dead," Stefan snapped at her. Bobbie looked at Stefan and wondered what game he was up, too. "I have a son and a nephew that both lost a lot in the past few years. I'm not going to stick around and let them think I have been killed," Bobbie said and tried to get up but Stefan stopped her. "Barbara, listen to me," Stefan said starting to panic that she would go away and blow things now. He had his shot to stop his mother but it all depended on the fact that people thought they were dead. "If you show yourself now. You will die and so will I. This wasn't an accident. My mother tried to kill us. If she finds out that she failed. She will not stop until we are dead and next time someone else might get hurt." "Why would your mother care about me? I have done nothing to her," Bobbie said sitting up and wrapping her arms around herself. She was starting to get cold even if it was in the middle of summer. It was colder under the docks than on land and after all the time in the water, she was even colder. "Maybe because your death might push Luke even closer to the edge," Stefan said taking his own coat off and handing it to her. Bobbie took it and looked at him with doubt in her eyes. She still didn't buy his reasons for pretending to be dead. "Okay, I'll tell you all I know but you're not going to like it," Stefan snapped at her and sat beside her as the waves started to crash before them. "My mother was the one that killed Laura. She made it look like I did it. The past month I was trying to figure out a way to prove it but she must have found out about my investigations." "Why? What did Laura do to her?" Bobbie asked, shocked that Helena could kill all those people just to get to one person. "She had my son," Stefan said, his heart ached when he thought of Nikolas. "Nikolas is my child not my brother's." "What? You mean your threat was true," Bobbie said shocked to have it validated. "Yes, and if I would have seen this coming I would kept quiet. At least Laura would still be alive if I had remained silent," Stefan said looking at Bobbie for pity that wasn't coming. "You should have just faced up to and dealt with it. Laura is dead because you couldn't leave well enough alone," Bobbie snapped at him. " and this still doesn't give me reason not to tell everyone that I'm alive." "Bobbie," Stefan snapped using her nickname for the first time since he met her. "My mother is a killer. She tried to get rid of the both of US! Me because I might take control over the family again and you to get at Luke. If you show up, you could be killed for real this time. We have to stay dead until we find away to stop her and that is final." Bobbie hated to admit it but he was right. If Helena found out that she was alive, she could be dead within a few weeks and who would join her. Lucas? Lucky? or maybe some of their friends? Bobbie decided he was right and was willing to go along with him at least part of the way. "I'll stay dead for awhile. I want a few things from you though," Bobbie said coldly. "What?" Stefan asked wondering what she was up, too. "First off, we work together. You tell me all you know and don't hid a thing," Bobbie said starting to check off her demands on her fingers. "Second, if we get a chance we tell one person we are alive." "Who?" Stefan asked. "Luke. I don't trust you Stefan and I want back up. Luke is the only person I trust to look after me when it comes to your family," Bobbie told him. "What is your brother going to do to help us? He is locked up for going a drunken binge. He might be your hero but I can operate well enough without him," Stefan snapped at her. "Can you? So, where are we going to stay? We can't stay here the tide is coming in," Bobbie pointed out. Stefan looked down and found that she was right. Their shoes were covered with water and soon the entire place would be filled up. "I have some money. We'll get a hotel," he said. "You are out of your mind. We are dead and if we show up like this. Someone would spot us. You know nothing about surviving on the run. If you don't think we don't need Luke, you are crazy," Bobbie said pulling Stefan down the docks to look for a better place to stay. Chapter 13 Back to Monster Within |