Subj: Shadows Return Chapter 10
Date: 5/19/99 7:39:04 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Kim Monroe

Mulder and Scully sat in the Old House. Mulder was slouched comfortably in Barnabas' chair. Scully was standing next to the fireplace.

"Scully, I think we should get Michael and get a cross ready. I don't want to be an advocate to Barnabas."

"And I don't know if we should tell Michael." Scully frowned. "The sun's getting ready to set. I've read the books and seen the movies. What if he's hungry, Mulder?" Mulder shrugged, guzzling a brandy.

"Some beverage choice for us mortals--Callista drinks vanilla Slimfast and
the rest drink brandy! I don't think we have that much to worry about. Considering that we know Barnabas is the most difficult is when he's in love, I
think we shouldn't have that many problems."

Scully paled slightly,"Mulder, would you mind to give me a recap about his loves, excluding Angelique?"

"Well, first Josette, and she nearly got bit, but she jumped off Widow's Hill. Then I guess Maggie Evans, and she got held captive, and nearly driven mad. Nice way to treat your potential wife, huh? Then I guess would come Kitty
Hampshire, and I skipped that part, so the next would be Roxanne Drew in 1840. After they first meet and decide to spend the rest of their life together for eternity, well, he bit her. But I doubt if he could possibly have feelings for Maggie--no wonder Quentin left her." Mulder smirked and reached for a Slimfast.

"What if he had a love in this time?" Scully asked,turning away.

"Who?" Mulder responded, "It surely isn't you."

Scully turned and slapped him."Why the hell not? I have grown very close to Barnabas. What, do you think I'm unattractive? Not good enough for Barnabas?"

"Scully it isn't that. It's just that you're Scully and I always know that Scully is single and seldom even dates,"

Scully stopped, raising her hand in a gesture to shut Mulder up. She thought for a minute that she heard a faint heartbeat.

"Mulder, I think you should go get the notebook and the journal. I know Michael had them, in fact you should probably go get Michael. I'm sure this
is something that we need all the help we can get."

Mulder nodded and left. "Take care of yourself," he held her for a second and left. Scully followed him and locked the door behind him.

She slowly walked down the stairs, towards the coffin. Silently she opened the lid. "He's still asleep." she muttered to herself, closing the lid. She turned and went upstairs, only to find Barnabas at the top of the stairs. He held his arm out for her and she ran into his embrace.

"I just closed the lid, how?" she began.

"I never let anyone see me rise from the coffin." They walked upstairs and Scully was about to suggest that they start the treatments again, when she saw the look
in Barnabas' eyes.

She held a hand up to him,"Don't go out tonight!"

"Scully, I need...."

"I know, Barnabas, but take from me,"

"No!" Barnabas looked horrified.

"Barnabas, I'd rather you took from someone you knew, than from a stranger. That is no better than rape!"

Barnabas took her in his arms and stroked the hair off her neck.

**********************************************************

Willie and Carolyn arrived at the hospital a few hours after Callista regained consciousness. "Where is Angelique?" Willie demanded, shoving past the nurse.

"I insist you leave, you'll upset the patient."

"Where is her mother?" Willie demanded.

"I do not know who her mother is, but her family is in the waiting room," the nurse responded. Willie stormed downstairs, amazed to find the entire Collins family downstairs; not one Blair in sight. Maggie frowned,"Nicholas said it was a pity, she was so young and full of promise, but he sounded enraged when I said she survived." Carolyn saw the way Willie looked and went to call Angelique. Carolyn had always had feelings about things, and now she suspected Angelique wasn't even aware of her daughter's condition and whereabouts.

After she found a payphone she made the call. Angelique answered on the first ring. "Angelique, this is Carolyn, Carolyn Loomis, I don't think you know about Callista,"

"I am aware we had an argument and she left Blair House," Angelique said slowly, growing increasingly alarmed by the way Carolyn's tone of voice was.
"Callista, as far as we can tell, tried to commit suicide by stabbing herself with her hunting knife. She did so in her Forestor. The car hit a tree, the branches were sharp and stabbed her, and the car burst into flames."

A sob wrenched from Angelique, "No, Carolyn please don't tell me."

"Callista was in a coma, they doubted she'd live, but she regained consciousness around 9:00 am this morning. She's still comatose and they still don't give her much chance.Your husband was informed of this, but seemed to care little if at all. I doubted you knew, so I wanted to tell you personally. By the way, Willie
is going to give you hell for not being here. But I think right now, she needs her mother, and she needs to know the secret."