Subj: DS:Ally 3
Date: 3/20/02 5:52:40 PM Central Standard Time
From: Aesgaard

Instead of parking down at the Old House, William had parked at the main garage on the estate. It was still a partially hazy morning as he checked his suitcase in the backseat and slid into his 1987 Trans Am. The black monstrosity had gone all zeroes a few months ago, but he was never letting go of it. He turned the ignition and padded the pedal.

"Come on, come on," he whispered. "Get me out of here." The engine barely turned over. He heard a rapping noise and turned to the window. His Uncle Willie Loomis smiled and held up his distributor cap and plugs.

"Uncle Will," William watched him open the door. "Not you too."

"Sorry, sport," Loomis carried many extra pounds in the twilight of his middle age. He grinned at his namesake. "But I'm not going to let you break your mother's heart."

"Please, Uncle Will. I mean, I'm now 27 years old and she treats me like I'm a kid. Why is everyone afraid of my mother ?" They walked to the main house. "Is she a witch or something ?"

"Who told you ?" Willie opened one of the front double doors. Maggie Evans-Collins came down the stairs to the right of the door. She grinned at the family escape artist and put her arm around him the same way she did when she was his governess.

"Where did you hide this time ?" She asked him. "I must have searched the west wing three times !"

"I'll never tell." William replied as they turned left past the drawing room. "I'm hiding there again next year !"

Willie amusingly rubbed William's head as they passed the open door of the study. Turning into the dining room, the young birthday winced at the decorations and the sixteen faces of his family on him. Angelique kissed her favorite son and Barnabus padded him on the back with a proud grin. Carrie Collins,David Collins's teenage daughter, rushed around the table as Roger Collins mumbled along the words of the birthday song.

"Hello, Uncle Roger." William checked his reflection in the old man's bald head. "Wax on, wax off." He pretended to wax his head as Roger chuckled at the old joke. William briefly locked eyes on Joe Haskell Jr., his sister's boyfriend, as Sara whispered something and rushed out then found Carrie pushing a gift at him.

"Open it, open it."

"Okay,Okay." William smiled as his Aunt Carolyn pulled a pointed hat on him. Her namesake beamed as the birthday boy held up the model kit she had bought. It was a trans-am like the one he drove.

"William." Barnabus heaved a long gift over. "I had a company in England duplicate mine. I hope you appreciate it."

His son whipped out with shock the wolf's head cane identical to his father's. It was identical but newer. He hugged his father with pride.

"From Maggie and me." Quentin hoisted a box that turned out to have a leather jacket in it. William put it on at the table.

"Can I have your old one ?" J.R. Loomis spoke up. From Quentin's reserved daughter Amanda, William got the new Madonna CD. From Chris Loomis and Little Roger, Roger Collins' grandson, came a set of blank VHS cassettes.

Angelique gave her son sweaters. A camera came from Willie and Carolyn and J.R. gave another model to assemble. Still hoping to dash out for the train to Boston, William turned around to his scheming sister.

"And what did you get at the crap store this year ?"

Sara didn't answer. She looked to Ally entering from the back hall to the drawing room.

"The crap store ??!" She was a little offended.

"Ally !!" William forgot where he was and rushed to kiss her. Maggie turned to Angelique.

"Who's this again ?"

"His girlfriend from Boston."

"What are you doing here ?!"

"Your sister brought me." She beamed and handed her gift. Sara smiled triumphantly at hitting her brother down to her level.

"Collinwood is exactly like John described it." Ally continued. "Huge, dark and expensive."

William introduced the family. Ally had met Sara and Angelique, but now she shook hands his distinguished father, the expert on Colonial history and Roger Collins, the retired patriarch, and his third wife, Rachel Fillmore-Collins. Quentin and Maggie's daughter, Amanda, insecurely stepped forward. Her brother, Jamison, was at football camp. Willie and Carolyn Loomis stood amongst their progeny, J.R., Lizzie and Chris. Davis welcomed Ally to Collinwood as his brood by different wives, Carrie and Roger, accepted the lady lawyer to the family. Joe Haskell Jr. even remarked on how William could have a girl. Ally was very warmly accepted as they all split the chocolate cake.

"Mrs. Loomis." A servant entered.

"Yes, Charlotte ?"

"There's a young lady here who says she has a singing telegram for Mr. William." The maid always referred to the first names of the family.

"Telegram ?" Carolyn made a face. "Send her in."

William and Ally winced as Elaine Vassal walked in smiling and carrying a tape player. The Cage and Fish receptionist was singing a birthday song to William one way or another.

"That's William's other Boston girlfriend." Angelique revealed.

"What ?!" J.R. snapped to attention. "You've got two girls ?!! That's not fair ! You're taking me to Boston next time you go." He turned to Elaine.

"Hi," he stared deeply into her bedroom eyes. "J.R. Loomis, Heir to Collinwood. I can give you the world. "

"Sit down, J.R." Carolyn yanked him down. "Two sex starved teens. I hate it. At least my baby is a brain."

"Oh, I don't know." Ally whispered to William. "I think your cousin and Elaine make a nice couple."

"Be grateful Jamison isn't here." William spoke. "He'd have Elaine purposing to him in seconds !!"

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.