Subj: Consequences of Falling ch. 61
Date: 8/15/01 1:21:17 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Nicole

January 9, 2001, The Old House, 5:30 PM

Cameron awoke in his room, groggy and dazed as he lazily shifted his position in bed. Kelene lay asleep at his side. He kissed her forehead and lay back in bed. He was in no hurry to leave. He normally felt this way on the morning before a blackout. Besides, getting out of bed would lead to confirmation that the last night had happened, that they had found a man who should be dead but was not, a man who appeared young and in good physical condition although his mind had deteriorated. But Astrid seemed to know him and took his care into her own hands. She made sure that he was cleaned,
polished, and sent to bed safely. Once that was settled, she had suggested that Cameron and Kelene sleep. Cameron could not understand why they had followed her command without question but they did. It had been a relief to get some rest although he was in no way rejuvenated.

After feigning sleep for another hour, Cameron decided that it was time to face reality. He did not want to leave without Kelene, afraid that she would jump to the wrong conclusion if she awoke to find him gone, so he woke her. After she became oriented, Cameron gave her the pentagram. "Isn't this evil," she asked quietly.

"No, that's just what silly people say. This is a good luck charm," explained Cameron. "We need luck now and I want you to have it."

Kelene smiled and slipped the chain around her neck. After cleaning up a bit, they went downstairs. Angelique and Chris sat on the loveseat talking quietly, only stopping when Cameron and Kelene entered the room. Astrid leaned on the pillar, her eyes focused on the center of the room. In the center sat the man in question. Cameron thought they had cleaned him up pretty well. He looked like anyone else as he slept in the chair. When Cameron walked past him, Quentin's eyes opened and began to suspiciously follow him. Cameron could understand why Astrid had asked about his eyes, large blue orbs that would have been beautiful had anything been behind them. In their current state, they unnerved Cameron. He turned to Astrid and said, "You promised me answers. I want to know what's going on!"

Astrid did not answer. She walked over to Quentin and manually shut his eyes. He opened them instantly. She tried three more times to close his eyes before giving up. "Please close your eyes." Quentin shook his head. "Even without your spirit, you remain insolent," she joked. Quentin smiled warmly on her, forcing Astrid to go lank. "Do you remember me?" He nodded. "Do you remember my name?" He nodded. "Can you speak it?" Quentin shook his head. Astrid nodded, resting her hands on his thighs as she continued to make eye contact. "Do you remember other things?" Quentin nodded but then shook his head, continuing with this pattern until Astrid touched his forehead. "Stop!" she said. He stopped. Astrid's face softened as she ran her hand down his face to his chin, cupping it in her fingers as she said, "I wish you could understand." She let go his chin and sat in front of him, cupping the hand he placed on her shoulder in hers and bringing it to her lips. "What do you want to know?" she asked Cameron.

"You said that this man is Quentin Collins, but he can't be. The man in the portrait was in his late twenties. He'd be over 130 by now."

"Yeah, 131 this year, but go one," said Astrid.

"See, this man can't be who you claim he is!" insisted Cameron. "Did your father know about him?"

"There really was no Grant Douglas," explained Astrid. "Quentin Collins and Grant Douglas are one in the same."

"Is Quentin Collins your father? Is that why you're worried about him?"

Angelique and Chris began laughing, falling into one another before pulling away as if burned. Astrid stared at them wickedly while Quentin stared down on her, unabashed affection filling his eyes for a brief moment before disappearing. "Tell him the full truth, Constance," urged Angelique.

"He'll have to know by the end of the night anyway," added Chris.

"What are they talking about?" asked Cameron. "Why did she call you Constance?"

"Because that's my name." She fell into Quentin's legs, moaning lightly when he ran a hand through her hair and replaced it on her shoulder. "'Astrid Douglas' is a pseudonym. I've gone through many names through the years but you'd know me best as Constance DuVane."

Cameron could not believe it. He had noticed her resemblance to his childhood idol the moment he first saw her. He had not expected her to be the same woman! How could she and Quentin remain alive? Why did they not age? What did it mean to him? "Chris said I'd have to know everything by the end of the night. What does any of this mean to me?"

"You're connected," answered Constance in monotone. "You are the great-great grandson of Quentin Collins. The affliction you and Chris suffer from is all connected with Quentin."

"How do you know about my problem? What does Chris have to do with this? Are we related?" asked Cameron.

Constance glanced to Chris and he nodded. "I'm your father."

Cameron sank to his knees, his eyes attempting to focus on Chris. What kind of family did he originate from? Did no one have a normal life? But that did not matter now. Cameron was staring at his father, the man who had created him but left before the final product was unveiled. This was the man who had betrayed his mother and had left Cameron inadequate for so many years. "Why did you treat us so?" demanded Cameron.

"I know that this won't make you feel better, but I only recently learned of your existence," explained Chris.

"You had sex with her! How could you not remember that?"

Angelique, Chris, and Constance glanced anxiously between one another, seeming to silently ask if they should tell the boy more. Cameron did not understand the women's tension. What did they know? "Actually," said Constance, "Chris didn't."

"That's bullshit!" screamed Cameron. "I'm obviously not the new virgin birth. Explain to me how such a thing can happen, that he can be my father without ever having sex with my mother."

"Incubus intervention," answered Angelique.

Cameron could not help but laugh. Incubus intervention? He could not believe that these people were blaming his conception on a product of Medieval demonology. "All right," he finally giggled. "Let's say that I am a product of 'incubus intervention.' Is that my problem?"

"No," murmured Constance.

"That doesn't help me! Can someone please tell me how Chris messed me up?"

"It's not my fault!" insisted Chris.

"No, your affliction is not his fault," concurred Angelique.

Cameron tried not to scream. This cat and mouse game was becoming unbearable. "If it's not my father's fault and it's not the incubus' fault, who's fault is it? I'm owed that much."

"It's all my fault," murmured Quentin. A universal gasp spread throughout the room as they turned to gawk at Quentin. He seemed oblivious to them all as he stared down at Constance. "It's all my fault. I killed her to protect Beth but I wasn't thinking. Magda didn't know about our children and neither did I. That's why she chose the curse she used. She believed that she would only hurt me but she hurt the children much more. But it's not Madga's fault. It's all my doing and I am so sorry!"

Cameron watched as Quentin broke down. Constance leapt to her feet and held him as he wept. "Does that answer your question?" she asked, her face buried in his hair.

"What is the curse?" Cameron walked closer to as he asked, "What am I saddled with?"

Quentin attempted to speak but could no. He shivered and laid his head on Constance's shoulder. She turned to Cameron, her arms still wrapped around Quentin, and asked, "Do you know what a lycanthrope is?"

"I'm a werewolf!" Cameron charged on Quentin only to have Constance stand in the way. "How can you stop me? I know you love him but he ruined my life. I don't give a damn if he's sorry! I am this horrible creature and I am passing this affliction on to my unborn child. How can you stop me and know the truth?"

"First things first, you touch him and you'll regret it," warned Constance. "Second, you think you know everything but you don't. You're here because I will cure you, Chris, and the baby. I cured Quentin but something went wrong. For some reason, there was a spontaneous astral projection and what binds the double to the body was broken. Luckily, the portrait preserved the body."

"Are you talking about the portrait you sent to Collinwood?" asked Cameron.

Constance shook her head. She snuck down into he basement and returned with a frame. She set it up on another chair and removed the cover. Kelene screamed and turned toward Cameron, whimpering and clutching his shirt. Cameron held her and looked down at the top of her head, attempting to wipe the image of the decrepit old man from his mind. Constance turned the portrait around, saying, "I had a similar reaction the first time I saw it. It is much worse than it used to be. I suppose I've grown too accustomed to it to be disgusted."

"Okay, so Quentin has a Dorian Gray portrait. Why does such a thing exist?"

Constance sighed and resumed her position beside Quentin. "It's a long story that will have to wait for some other time." She turned to Cameron and asked, "Do you know what tonight is?"

Cameron thought about it a moment and yelped upon realization. "There's a full moon tonight!"

Kelene wrapped her arms around Cameron's shoulders and kissed his cheek. "It'll be all right. Nothing will happen."

"But what if something does?"

"I have this," she said as she flashed Cameron the pentagram. "You won't hurt me."

"How can you be so calm about this?" begged Cameron. "I've dragged you into something horrible."

"I came to you of my own free will. I'm not an innocent. I'm not leaving without you, Cameron. You have to accept that."

Cameron had no retort. He kissed Kelene and turned to Constance. "What do you need?"

"I need Quentin's astral body and Count Petofi's ring."

"Huh?"

"I need the ring's magic to heal Quentin," explained Constance. "If it works, I'll cure you and Chris as quickly as possible."

"Do you know where the ring is?" asked Kelene.

"No," she moaned. "I searched Quentin for the ring last night and I didn't find it. I think the astral body has it."

"And where is the astral body?" asked Cameron.

"I'm not sure. I saw it yesterday but I've not felt it today."

"He needs to show up!" snarled Chris. "This wait is unbearable."

"How long have you really been waiting?" asked Angelique slyly.

"I've been the wolf for close to forty years and I spent the last ten of those in Windcliffe. Windcliffe, hon! It's not to happiest place on earth," explained Chris. "I've been waiting too long for this. Being the oldest sucks."

Constance nodded. She kissed Quentin's forehead and left the drawing room. She walked outside but soon came back inside. She leaned on the pillar, looking sadly around the room as she slid to the floor. She looked as if she would cry when the front doors blew open without warning. Quentin looked slightly anxious, as if he would run from the room at any moment. Constance started to approach him but stopped. She returned to the foyer. "You've cut it close," she laughed.

Cameron watched as Constance walked back into the drawing room. Behind her stood the glass-like outline of Quentin Collins. This Quentin smiled, his face bright from some inner light. He hung close to Constance. The body stared at its double, seemingly suspicious of its other half. "What are you waiting for?" asked astral Quentin.

"I need the ring."

Astral Quentin manually spun Constance around to face him. He dug inside his coat pocket and pulled out a gold ring. He placed it in her hand and said, "You can't believe how long it took me to find this. Do you know what went wrong?"

"Yes."

"Then we should begin."

Constance smiled as she placed the ring on. She guided astral Quentin to his body. He stood behind the body, placing his hands on his own shoulder as he stared at Constance. Constance knelt in front of the body and placed the ringed hand on his heart. While looking into his eyes, she said, "Forgive me, love, but I must do this." Constance closed her eyes and said, "I realize the error in my original command. It was wrong of me to ask for the curse of the werewolf to be lifted from the heart of Quentin Collins. When on errs, one should pay the consequences. Quentin's punishment was the curse. I realize that he must live with the curse--be it directly or indirectly--or not live at all. So I ask you to replace the curse of the werewolf on the heart of Quentin Collins."

To Cameron, nothing seemed to happen. He and Kelene looked away, sad to see Constance's pain lain bare. When he turned back, Cameron noticed that astral Quentin had disappeared. Constance removed her hand from his chest, covering her eyes with it as she wept. Cameron returned his interest to Quentin. Quentin remained still at first, but he soon closed his eyes and shuddered. When he opened them again, Cameron noticed a distinct difference. Quentin looked around the room, his brows furrowing as he looked over the gawking crowd. He looked down at Constance and smiled. He laced his hands through her hair and giggled. Constance looked up, her face completely blank as she whispered, "Quentin?"

"Constance! Long time, no see, huh?" he asked, the smile still plastered across his lips.

Constance smiled and leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing kisses over his face. Quentin began to reciprocate and they kissed intently for a full minute. She pulled away quickly and cried, "Your portrait!" Quentin nodded. Constance tumbled from his lap and ran to the portrait. She turned it around and touched it with the ringed hand. "You were created to take on the curse of Quentin Collins. You WILL do this once again!" A small spark streamed from her finger and touched the portrait. She turned to Quentin and said, "It worked. I can feel it."

"Thank God!" Quentin leaned back into the chair and crossed his legs. "Who's next?"

All eyes landed on Chris. He rose from his seat and cautiously approached Constance, his eyes shifting from her to Quentin. Constance hesitated but put her hand over his heart. "I insist you removed the curse of the werewolf from the heart of Christopher Jennings. This atrocity is not his cross to bare and I demand that it leave his body!" Chris moaned a few times but soon became silent. He backed away and stared at Constance's hand. Her hand was full of a fine gray powder. She blew it to the ground and brushed her hands off on her pants. "It's gone, Chris. You're free."

Chris ran back to Constance and wrapped her in his arms. This all seemed perfectly innocent until he kissed her on the mouth. All jaws dropped as he kissed her, oblivious to her angry lover only feet away. Quentin jumped to his feet and stormed to the duo. Chris immediately released the embrace and backed away. "It was only a spontaneous reaction," said Chris. "I didn't mean any harm."

Quentin looked back to Constance, who blushed and smiled sheepishly. "It's nothing, really. I only have eyes for you." Quentin smiled and took Constance into his arms. Cameron noticed that Chris sulked back t his seat, letting Angelique silently console him. Constance turned to Cameron and asked, "Are you ready?"

"For what?"

"For a new life?"

Cameron could only smile. "What do I need to do?"

"Lie down on the floor," said Quentin.

"Why?"

"Because the moon will pull you there in a moment."

Cameron did not understand. He sent Kelene away, watching her run to sit with Angelique and Chris. Cameron sensed no problems until he felt the pain serge throughout his body. He barely felt it when his body slammed into the floor. His teeth burrowed into his bottom lip and his mouth began to fill with blood. He could feel the heat mixing with the pain, sending sweat pouring down his face. He only opened his eyes when he felt three sets of hands fall upon him. Quentin held his arms, Chris held his feet, and Constance straddled his torso, the hand over his heart. "I command you rip the curse of the werewolf from the heart of Cameron Stuart. No man should be punished for the sins of the father. I demand this injustice be rectified!"

The pain soon began to ease. Cameron felt the heat cooling against his skin and soon he felt nothing. He licked his lip to find that the wound had healed. He looked at Constance to see that she held the gray dust 9n her hand. She smiled as she blew it into oblivion. "Is it over?" he asked. Quentin rose and walked to the window. "Cameron, when was the last time you saw a full moon?"

Constance rolled off his body and Cameron leapt to his feet, joining Quentin at the window. He laughed as he stared into the sky. The full moon shone down on the freshly fallen snow. "It's been close to seven years."

"I don't know what to tell you," murmured Quentin.

"There's nothing left to say," said Cameron. "What's done is done. This is a new night and we all have a chance to begin again."

Quentin smiled, his smile broadening when Constance wrapped him in her arms and kissed him. Cameron turned away to see Chris staring at them. Cameron felt sorry for him. He could tell that this man was lonely and had been for a long time. "Chris," he whispered, "I'm sorry that I said the things I said."

"It's fine. I can see your point of view," murmured Chris. You were hit with more tonight than you had probably ever been forced to deal with before."

"Yeah. I want to get to know you."

"Really?"

"Yeah," said Cameron jubilantly. "A few days ago I had no family at all and now I am part of an extremely dysfunctional family. I'd like my branch of it to work."

Chris smiled and shook his head. "That would be nice. But remember, you have to get Constance to cure the baby. You don't need to go through this again."

"Not now," moaned Constance. "I need a rest."

"Rest or get laid?" asked Angelique.

Constance stuck her tongue out at Angelique as she walked to the metal door, standing beside it as it squealed open. "You've missed much, Barnabas."

Barnabas was not listening to her. He was staring at Quentin. "I don't believe it. You're..."

"Back from the dead?" sighed Quentin.

Cameron watched as Barnabas left the basement and walked to the window. More than ever, Cameron wanted to know what was hiding in the basement. His attention soon diverted to the frail gray wolf in the portrait. He wondered what he had looked like as the wolf. This idea left his mind the moment Kelene touched him. Cameron wrapped her in his arms and kissed her, glad to have her close to him without fearing for her life. Constance would cure their child and they could begin life anew. Constance learned on the opposite wall, staring into the crowd gathered around her lover. Quentin looked over to her and smiled. Cameron could understand why she hung back. She could let them have him now because she would have him for more than one lifetime. Everyone could begin life again. Their palpable joy could be felt in the air. It was so powerful that Cameron would not have noticed the breaking glass had he not heard the whir fly past his ear.

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.