Chapter 19 The next morning, Luke slept in later then the rest of the family. He was dreaming about Bobbie getting beat by his father and he was trying to stop it but he just couldn�t get near them. Bobbie�s screams of pain got so bad that Luke woke up covered in sweat. As he sat up in bed, Luke listened closely and heard cries but they weren�t Bobbie�s cries but Lu�s? Luke got out of bed and went to the nursery where he got a shock of his life. Lu was being held on her bed with her nanny hitting her with a belt. Luke�s tempter hit the roof and he grabbed the woman by the arm yanked her off Lu and pulled her to him. �What do you think you are doing?� Luke demanded his eyes flashing with rage. Lu had moved off the bed and ran to the corner of the room trying to vanish out of sight. The nanny stood there stammering at the sight of rage that flashed in Luke�s eyes. �I..I..I..I,� was all she could get out. �You what?� Luke asked her. It was taking all he had from hitting her. He really didn�t know how much longer he could hold out. Laura had decided to take Lu for a walk in the garden. She was coming up to get her when she heard the commotion going on the nursery. �Luke, what is going on?� Laura asked. Luke turned pulling the nanny with him and shoved the woman towards Laura. �Take care of her or I will,� Luke said and he threw the belt on to the floor. Laura looked down to floor, over at Luke and then over at Lu. It didn�t take her long to figure out what Luke walked in on. Laura nodded her head at her ex husband and then took the nanny out of the room. Luke walked to his daughter and bent down to her level. �You ok?� he asked. �No,� Lu�s small reply came threw her tears. �It�s alright. It is over. No one is ever going to hit you again,� Luke said and as he picked up Lu and rocked her in his arms. Luke noticed that Lu�s pants were went and so he carried into the bathroom to clean her up. That is what he was doing when Laura showed up with Alexis and Alex at her side. Lu had her head resting on Luke�s arms and he took a wash rag and dabbed the marks on her legs. �Let me see,� Alex said giving Lu a sad smile as the little girl looked up. �Sure,� Luke said and he turned Lu over to the doctor. As Laura and Luke stood in the bathroom door way watching over Lu, Alexis feel completely and absolutely a part. She stood in the middle of the nursery looking around at all the sights, sounds and smells. Her childhood came back at her then hitting her time and time again. Each time the memories were more real then they were before. Until finally, Alexis couldn�t take it any more. She let out this blood-curdling scream that ripped through the entire top floor. Luke and Laura both turned to look at her and Luke even tried to reach for her but she wasn�t having any of it. Alexis backed turned around and hit the door running. She ran down the hall like the devil was chasing her and it was. The devil in the form of Helena and the monsters she caused for Alexis. Stefan, Mikkos, and Victor had been going up the stairs to see what the screaming was about when Alexis ran past them. Stefan tried to grab her but she pulled away from him. Alexis lost her footing and feel down the stairs. Lucky for her she was almost to the bottom any ways. She had hit table sat at the side with a vase on it. She cut her hands as she tired to get her feet. Stefan went to her to help her but Alexis wasn�t having any of it. She was still in the grip of her memories. She pulled back from him cutting herself more but she finally got her feet and ran. Stefan went after her and it took a little bit to catch her. They were near the docks when Stefan grabbed a hold of her pulling her towards him. �Lexis,� He said rocking her back and forth in his arms. �It�s ok,� he said as he rocked her. That was when Alexis realized that she was safe. She looked at Stefan and begged him. �Don�t let her hurt me,� she said. �I will always protect you,� Stefan said and he picked Alexis up in his arms and started to carry her back to the house. Alexis was calmer and she laid her head against Stefan�s shoulder as he carried her into the house. They were in the main hallway when Alexis heard Mikkos talking on the phone. �Yes, Doctor, we will be waiting for you arrival,� Mikkos said. Alexis' head shot up and she jumped from Stefan's arms. She tried to get away but Stefan pulled her to him. He looked at his father and demanded, �What do you think you are doing?� �Getting Alexis help. She oveously needs it,� Mikkos said. Alexis' hands gripped into Stefan�s shoulders but Stefan refused to even let be it show on his face. He looked at his father and said, �I�ll take care of Alexis. I have for a very long time now.� �That suppose to mean something?� Mikkos demanded as Stefan guided Alexis to the stairs. �It means what you think it means,� Stefan said. Stefan and Alexis went up stairs with Stefan�s arm wrapped protectively around his sister. Stefan and Alexis got the top the stairs where Alex, who had just left Lu with her parents and brothers, met them. She looked at the cuts Alexis had on her arms and said, �Let me see this.� Stefan wouldn�t even hear of it. He pulled Alexis away from the doctor and said, �I�ll take care of her. Your help is not asked for or welcome.� �Stefan, she is hurt,� Alex said trying again but Stefan was still the unmovable object. �I will take care of the cuts and treat her. Now, get my way,� Stefan said and they went by. Stefan got to Alexis�s door opened it up and the vanished through it. Chapter 20 Back to A Father's Love |