The Journals (7)
Date: 10/15/98
From: barnster

Barnabas quickly covered the journal with a textbook. Glaring at his brother. "Haven't you heard of knocking?" he fumed.

Daniel's eyes blazed. "Yeah," he hissed. "But I don't think you deserve such courtesy. You haven't for any one else."

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but I have some studying to do," Barnabas shot back furiously. "Now get out of my room!"

Daniel advanced into the room. "To hell with your studying!"

Barnabas rose to his feet. He towered over the teenager, by an inch. His eyes narrowed dangerously. "WHAT did you say?" he said in a low voice.

It was a tone that had warned Daniel from childhood, not to continue, if he wanted to stay healthy.

Daniel, just as quietly said, "You heard me. I don't care about you're studying. I don't give a damn if you make it as a doctor, or not. Doctors don't treat people like you do."

"I'm warning you Daniel. Get out before I throw you out!"

"Just try it!" challenged Daniel, viciously, his eyes burning with hatred and contempt. "The only person who gets treated decently, is Sarah. But I would have thought a girlfriend, would be an exception. Especially when that girlfriend is pregnant."

"Is none of your business!" raged Barnabas, grabbing Daniel by his shirtfront.

"Let go, Barnabas!" Daniel said through gritted teeth, his eyes blazing pits. "NOW!"

"Stay away from Cindy!" he warned, tightening his grip. "She's mine!"

"Is that why you dumped her?"

"I haven't dumped her!"

"Yeah, that's why you haven't seen her since she told you about the baby!"

"I've had more important things to think about!"

"Like what!"

Barnabas felt true anger boiling within him. If Daniel didn't get out, then hell would really break loose.

He stared vehemently at his brother. Trying to keep his temper in check. Small beads of sweat sprang out on his forehead, and a twinge of warning stabbed at his belly. He tried to ignore it; this was a more pressing problem.

"Things that don't concern you!" he hissed, finally answering his brother. "Now get out!" he hissed, giving Daniel a backward shove towards the door.

As Daniel staggered backward, Barnabas took the bottle of pills; Julia had given him, from his hip pocket.

He was about to unscrew the cap, when Daniel regained his balance. Something clicked in his mind, and he grabbed the bottle from his brother's hand.

"Give them back!" roared Barnabas, making a grab for them. Daniel held them out of reach.

"I said give 'em back!"

"Why do you need them?"

"It's none of your business!" snapped Barnabas, making a grab for them again. The warning twinge returning.

"I'm making it my business! And Father's too!"

"You tell him, and I'll kill you!" raged Barnabas, losing control. He grabbed Daniel, once more by the shirtfront, and propelled him against the wall. He raised his free hand, and made a fist. He's brown eyes blazed with hatred.

Daniel stared back, unafraid. "Go on, hit me! But Father will still find out. And about Cindy, too!"

Barnabas' remaining self-control snapped, and his fist connected with Daniel's nose.

Daniel cupped his bleeding nose, with his empty hand. "You disgust me!" he mumbled through his hand. "I'm ashamed to call you my brother! You don't deserve Cindy after the way you've treated her. I don't know what she ever sees in you."

"Then why don't you go out with her yourself!" hissed Barnabas, viscously.

"Maybe I will," were Daniel's parting words.

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Ten minutes later, Barnabas' Snr, and Jr, along with Julia were in the study.

Barnabas Snr glared furiously at his namesake.

"I won't have you disgracing the family!" shouted Barnabas to his son, totally outraged. "You will accept your responsibilities to Cindy!"

"And what about you!" sneered back Barnabas, Jr. "Or doesn't Angelique count!"

"I will not be condemned by you or anyone else, for what happened over two hundred years ago!" said his father, angrily. "I admit I was not entirely blameless, but neither was Angelique! I have tried to be lenient with you. But now I see I was too lenient. But no more! Either you stand by Cindy, or you will leave this house!"

Barnabas, Jr, stared at his father in shock. "You can't do that!"

"I can! This is my house! You are disgracing this family, and I won't have it! Either you do what you must regarding Cindy or you will leave!" said Barnabas furiously. "You disappoint me, Barnabas," he said in a quiet voice. "What would your mother think, if she were alive? Would she be ashamed as I am, to call you our son? Now get out of my sight!"

Barnabas Jr stared at his father in stunned silence. He swallowed, and was about to speak, but the look on his father's face stopped him. He looked at the floor, and then looked at Julia, then sheepishly left the study.

When he had gone, Barnabas Snr, sighed heavily, and gripped the back of the chair behind the desk. He closed his eyes, for a moment.

"Are you all, Barnabas?" asked Julia with some concern.

"I'm fine," he assured her, bleakly. "I'm just a little tired."

"Are you sure? You don't look well at all."

"It is my only regret, that my wife can't forget that she's a doctor," he said with a bleak smile.

"You wouldn't want me any other way," she smiled as she kissed him.

"So true," he sighed, a thoughtful look on his face.

Julia, astute to her husband's moods, hugged him. "You're still worried about him, aren't you?"

"He's out to destroy himself, and this family," said Barnabas wearily, sitting in the chair. "To think that he walked out on that poor girl."

"I thought you didn't like Cindy?"

"Despite the fact I think she's wrong for him, she is still expecting his child."

"That's not the only reason, is it? You think you went too far, in asking him to leave. As harsh as it was Barnabas, I think you've done the right thing. Perhaps something like this, will do some good."

"Then why do I feel such a hypocrite?"

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Barnabas Jr stared glumly out the window of his room. He knew he shouldn't have hit Daniel. They had had fights before, but nothing like this. And it had cost him his home.

Why should Cindy want him back, after the way he had treated her? Daniel was right; he thought more of Sarah, than he did of anyone else.

His reverie was broken by a knock on his door. "Yeah?" he called not glancing from the window.

The door opened admitting Julia. Barnabas turned briefly to see the visitor, and turned back to the window.

"Come to gloat?" he asked.

Julia stared at him. "Would it make you happier if I were to say yes?" she asked him. When she turned to face her, she went on. "It's exactly that attitude that is upsetting your father. You told him eight years ago that you forgive him, but you haven't. The heartless way you torment him with that knowledge, hurts him more that Angelique ever could. And now there's Cindy and Daniel to consider. You shouldn't have hit him."

"We've had fights before."

"Yes, you have. But not over pregnant girlfriends, and drug abuse."

He turned away from her at the mention of 'drug abuse.' Turned away least she see tears of humiliation prick his eyes.

"If he'd given me the bottle, I wouldn't have hit him," he said quietly. "Perhaps he done me a favour anyway."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because they're not working! I feel as if the walls are closing in on me, and I can't breathe! All I want is Prozac, and no substitute is going to help!"

"You haven't given them time to work!" insisted Julia. " I said they'd help, but I never said it would be easy! It could take weeks, before the craving is stopped. The question is; do you have the willpower? I am still willing to help you, if you'll let me. It could also help you with Cindy, if you want it to. I'm sure if you explained…"

"What's to explain? Oh, hi Cindy! I just came to tell you everything's just fine! My father's thrown me out, but what the heck! Let's get married, anyway. Oh, by the way, I'm on drugs! She'll understand all right! To have nothing more to do with me!"

"So that's it!" she said, knowingly. "You're afraid, that if she knows about the drugs, she won't want you back. You're afraid of losing her. I assure you, Barnabas, if I know Cindy as well as I think I do, she'll be more understanding than you realise, and be willing to help."

A glimmer of hope twinkled in his brown eyes. "Do you think so?" he asked quietly.

"I do," she said firmly. "And I'm willing to talk to your father, about chancing his mind, IF you continue to take those pills, AND talk to Cindy."

Before Barnabas could reply however, Daniel rushed into the room, a stricken look on his face. "Julia, it's my father!"

At once concerned Julia asked, "What's the matter?"

"He's collapsed!"

She at once rushed from the room, and Barnabas started to follow her. But Daniel stopped him.

His eyes blazed with undiminished anger. "This is your fault, Barnabas!" he hissed. "You knew he was ill! And if he dies, you'll be responsible!"

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.