Subj: DS:Future Imperfect
Date: 6/24/02 3:42:52 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Aesgaard

In the winter of 2005, Georgia Collins was all of six years old and much like all little girls, her best friends were the twelve to fifteen dolls which covered her room. She talked to them and asked them their wardrobe requirements as she paused, stepped into the bathroom at the end of the hall, grabbed several wash towels and used them as tiny blankets.

From elsewhere in the house, she heard her little sister screaming her head off.

The naked five year old rushed past the door and into the bathroom. Ally McBeal-Collins had jumped after her baby and slid ten feet before crashing into the closed door.

"Ouch !" Ally rose rubbing her head. "Lainey, unlock the door."

"No !!" The shrill voice screamed through the door. "I want daddy !"

"Unlock the door !" Ally clenched her teeth.

"No !" She would have been cute if her mother wasn't getting so angry.

"Look," Ally tried logic. "I did not carry you in my body for nine months to be treated like this ! Open the door !!"

"No !!!" The girl puttered around inside as she tried to figure out what to do next. "I want daddy !!!!!!!!"

"I'll give you ice cream."

"That's how you got me last time." Lainey sang in a little conniving sing-song little voice. She heard her mother rattling the door knob. Ally sighed and turned around as Georgia watched fascinated to see her mother losing it.

"I can climb up the tree and then into the window." She offered.

"Then I'd have both of you in there, wouldn't I ?" Ally realized as she and Georgia shared a grin. Trying to out think her own daughter, she looked back at the door and then back to Georgia. "Honey, go down to your father's study and get his toolbox. I'm taking the door down."

"Okay !" Georgia loved to see someone else getting in trouble. When Maddie still lived here, she was always crawling in through the window late or sneaking boys upstairs. Now off attending boarding school in New York, her older sister only seemed to come home for money or laundry. She heard her mother yelling through the door as she headed down the steps, and the the sound of the door rattling as she crossed it.

"Hi, monkey !" William Collins dropped his duffel bag and scooped up his middle girl. She cheered and squeezed him tight as she kissed him.

Back from chasing more ghosts, he looked around. "Where's your sister ?"

"Locked in the bathroom." The girl admitted. William had a sinking feeling as he headed up the stars of his Collinsport home and peered down the hall.

Ally locked eyes on him as he walked up.

"Finally another adult !" She kissed her husband as they crowded before the door. He placed Georgia aside as he cleared his throat."Elaine, open the door."

It became silent as they looked to the door. The lock turned and the latch opened as two adorable brown eyes became innocent and peeked out. Decorated with brown curls, she beamed up to her father.

"Daddy !" She reached to him, but Ally glared toward her and stuttered trying to say something. Finally grabbing and lifting up the little nudist, she dropped her in the bath.

"It's cold !!!"

"And who's fault is that !" Ally grabbed the soap and began washing her without another word.

"I may regret asking," William dropped the lid on the commode and sat down.

"How was your week ?"

"Busy," Ally washed her daughter in the bath as she talked. "Two cases in Boston and the principal here...."

"Did Elaine forget her underwear again ?"

"No," Ally took the shampoo as Elaine remained indifferent to the bath. "Georgia...."

"Georgia ?"

"Yes," She washed her daughter's hair. "They think the reason she's acting up maybe she's not being stimulated. They think she's gifted." Ally turned grinning. "She get's that from my side of the famly."

"Oh, yeah," William was briefly getting interupted by Georgia showing her things. "You McBeals and your big giant brains......."

"What's gifted ?" Elaine asked as her parents tried to think of a way to tell her without making her sister seem superior.

"Uh," Ally thought a minute. "It means she thinks differently."

"Oh," The girl turned round. "You mean she's stupid. I could have told you that !"

"Man, am I going to sleep........." William yawned.

"We've still got that dinner party tonight, remember." Ally reminded her husband as she rinsed her child's hair. "Your mother's under the weather and your sister and Lizzie have dates, but Amanda can babysit."

"Aunt 'Manda's coming !!" Elaine's eyes lit up. "Oh boy !!!"

"That...." William stood over his girl in the bath. "is not a good sign."

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.