Subj: DS:Ally 9
Date: 3/27/02 12:02:44 PM Central Standard Time
From: Aesgaard

Quentin and Angelique sat nervously waiting at the Old House waiting for Ally to return. Barnabus was keeping William distracted away from hovering around Ally and possibly learning what was going as well.

"I've been so careful for so long." Quentin paced before the fireplace as Angelique remained the picture of decorum. "What if Maggie finds out ? The kids ? Amanda has already been in and out of therapy for her depression. This could..."

"Quentin," Angelique picked up the tea pot before her. "Drink some tea and calm down. It's much better than that brandy you guzzle."

"Calm down she says....." Quentin looked up to Barnabus's portrait over the Old House mantel. He almost added to the comment as the sound of Angelique's Jaguar sounded outside driven by Ally at the wheel. The two of them listened to the engine cut off and the steps over the cobblestone path and outside veranda as the petite lady lawyer returned and admitted herself. She looked dreadfully serious as she looked up to them from the foyeur.

"Well," Ally scratched her chin. "I've got some good news and some bad news." She started. "Mrs. Duncan, I and Judge Crathorne agreed there was a margin of error in the research and swore to not push for the case if you signed a legal affidavit with three non-relatives who knew your ancestors."

"I know just who to ask." Angelique stood up and reached for her list of phone numbers. "Samantha's mother is old enough to know your father, and Endora does owe me a favor. Hilda Spellman helped Willie on his family tree and Patricia Halliwell too for pulling her granddaughters out of that mess with Ares."

"The bad news ?" Quentin raised an eyebrow.

"Mrs. Duncan did her research with someone named Fox Mulder." Ally spoke nervously. "You can be expecting a visit from him in a month or two."

"Quentin," Angelique watched him gasp and turn to the mantel . "It's not like he's going to be an F.B.I. agent or something." She turned to Ally and took her hand calmly and carefully. "Darling, you must be very tired from your hard work. Come sit in the dining room, and I'll give you some lunch."

"Please tell me you are not really a witch." Ally suspiciously narrowed her eyes. "William's father doesn't drink blood or turn into a wolf, does he ?"

Quentin half-heartedly smirked in Angelique's direction as they lured Ally into a calm situation to have her memories altered. The lady lawyer passed through the swinging doors of the parlor and sat down at the head of the table. Angelique sat down next to her.

"Ally," she began. "There is a lot about the family you have learned that William, Sara and most of the family of which has never been told. It could be dangerous for us if you were allowed to remember. Look deeply into my eyes as I tell you why."

Ally peered hesitantly into her blue azure eyes. They were rich and vibrant as if they had stars and galaxies shining in them. She felt oddly relaxed and her mind became dreamy as her body went numb to her. If she didn't know better, she'd think she was being mesmerized.

The front door opened and closed as Angelique and Quentin exchanged glances.

Ally was just barely in a susceptible mental state as Angelique gestured to Quentin. The former scoundrel looked out and rushed out to the parlor as he heard steps rush upstairs. He followed behind and followed the sound to William's room.

"William !" Quentin watched him pulling his shirt off. "What are you doing here ? Where's your father ?"

"I ditched him at the Historical Society." The young man pulled on a shirt. "He said Ally was to meet me at The Blue Whale and I wanted to change. If I didn't know better, I'd say you two were trying to keep us apart !"

"Would we do that ?" Quentin flashed a harmless grin then blocked William's path with his arm. "Not that way, your mother waxed the foyeur and she's angry enough as it is. Take the back way to the kitchen and out the back."

William gazed back at his favorite uncle with suspicious intent, and pulled a sweater over his t-shirt. He thought of Ally waiting at the Blue Whale Bar And Grill and silently shook his head. "See you later."

"Right." Quentin gasped and ran down to the dining room. He was getting too old for this. He turned at the bottom, through the parlor and into the dining room. Angelique was sitting at the table with her head down exhaustively on the table as if she had collapsed. Ally was standing over her and trying to fight off whatever spell was overwhelming her. She shook her head, rubbed her eyes then looked at Quentin, to herself and back to Quentin in shock. She put her hands to her face and down her chest.

"Angelique," Quentin shook her. "Did it work ? Angelique, wake up."

"Quentin," Ally spoke with a strange determination to her voice she rarely used. "I think we have a really big problem !!"

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.