Louise

"When are we going to tell them?" Nathan asked.

"I'm going to tell Kevyn sometime after the wedding." Patrick replied. "It's up to you when you decide to tell Louise.

"I think I'll wait until Jackson has all of the information gathered." Nathan replied. "In fact, I think I'll ask him to put it into a book, and I'll give it to Louise for either her birthday or Christmas."

"You know, I like that idea." Patrick said. "Would you mind if I did the same thing?"

"Not at all, but then I would suggest that we give them the books at Christmas." Nathan replied.

"Agreed." Patrick replied. "How often do you think this happens?" Patrick asked.

"I would think rarely." Nathan replied, "but do you understand the implications of this?" he asked. "It means that without trying, two powerful families have been paired together. I wonder what else Jackson will turn up"

"I have no idea, but think about it," Patrick said. "The families of both sides have been strengthened. Who knows what other gifts the Yancy's will bring, and what we will have to offer them. I know that this is a change of subject, but are you taking Louise somewhere after the reception?"

"She wants to go back to the beach house for the day, and then I'm taking her to France to look at the cooking school. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious, I'm taking Kevyn away as well, but I don't feel comfortable with leaving the rest of the family here to fend for themselves." Patrick said. "I know that Hans and the others will take good care of them, but I think that Kevyn and Louise will worry about them."

Nathan hadn't thought about it, and admitted that Patrick was right.

"Then we'll leave after the family does." he said. "What do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking about a movie night or something at our house. It shouldn't be hard to keep everyone in one place. The basement has everything anyone could possibly need." Patrick replied.

"I still owe you, Victor and Leon dinner." Nathan said. "When do you plan to talk to Gene?"

"Sometime before he leaves." Patrick replied. "You?"

"I would say that we could do it together, but he's already scared of us." Nathan said. "I'm actually considering not approaching him at all. If he wants my business badly enough, he has to approach me like a man."

"And if he does?" Patrick asked.

"We'll see." Nathan said.

Patrick left a few minutes later. Nathan knew that it was early but he wanted, and needed to hear Louise's voice. She answered on the first ring.

"Good morning." she said softly.

"Good morning, did you rest?" He asked.

"About as well as you did." Louise replied.

"Is the bathroom free?" Nathan asked. "You need to feed."

"It is at the moment." she replied grateful that he had thought about the feeding because she hadn't.

A few minutes later, she was in the bathroom. She drank both glasses of blood that Nathan bought with him, and was leaning into him with her arms around his waist.

"No pain or nausea?" he asked.

"I'm fine and no fever either." Louise replied before he had a chance to ask.

"How did the rest of the night go?" Nathan asked changing the subject.

"I'm glad for telepathy and telephones." Louise replied. "Barb settled down and actually apologized."

"A sincere one?" Nathan asked.

"Half-baked as my mom used to say... I wish that she and dad were here." Louise said.

"I know you do." Nathan said and kissed her head. "So do I." he added meaning it. He would have loved to meet the people who gave birth to, and raised children who were so different from each other.

They stayed in the bathroom until they heard an impatient tap on the door.

"Hurry up!" Barb called in.

"I'll see you at noon with your feeding." Nathan said as he kissed her. "I love you."

Louise opened the bathroom door to let Barb in and looked at her.

"You don't look too good, are you alright?"

"I'm fine just let me pass." Barb snapped.

Barb pushed past Louise and brushed against her arm. Louise felt a flash of knowledge that was gone before it took root. She then realized that she hadn't asked Nathan how the evening with her brothers went.

"I forgot to ask you when I talked to you how the evening with Leon and Gene went." she said when Nathan answered the phone.

"It was fine... Gene left after a couple of hours, and Leon fell asleep which was why I was able to come to you so easily." Nathan said. "But while I have you on the phone, Patrick and I talked this morning. We thought that we could leave on our trips after your family left. What do you think?"

"I kind of wondered about that." Louise said. "I'm fine with waiting, and as you know we don't even have to go anywhere."

"I know, and we've discussed this." Nathan said firmly. "We're going on a honeymoon. It's just postponed until after your family leaves."

He told her about the plans he and Patrick made and asked for her input.

"That sounds like fun." she agreed. "The only thing that I would like to add is that I want the sisters to cook together."

"Hot wings?" Nathan asked.

"If you want." Louise replied laughing.

*******

Barb listened to Lou talking to Nathan, and felt another surge of anger and jealousy. She wasn't sure of how she was going to make it through the day and evening without saying something smart assed. Then she decided that she wouldn't try to control herself. Whatever happened happened. She no longer cared. She pushed the memory of the relatively good time she had the night before away, and allowed her anger and jealousy to take over.

*******

Louise felt the change in Barb as soon as she came out of the bathroom. She lowered her shields, and quickly put them back up. She decided not to say anything. It wouldn't have done any good, and besides, Barb had been warned.

She looked around for Kevyn and saw her sitting out on the patio. She wanted to talk to her before Barb created a problem. She took a step toward the patio, and stopped realizing that she couldn't go outdoors.

"Damn!" she muttered under her breath.

"Bad word." Celeste said from behind her.

Louise jumped. She hadn't heard Celeste come into the room.

"I'm sorry baby." Louise said. "You're right, but could you do something for me?"

"You want me to go get Auntie Kev."

"H... how did you know that?" Louise asked surprised.

"I don't know." Celeste replied and looked away.

"Celeste, look at me." Louise said as she knelt and took the girl's small face into her hands. "I'm not mad." Louise assured her. "I'm just surprised. I already know how special you are, and it's nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. But if you like, we can make this our secret."

"You won't tell?" Celeste asked.

"Not unless you tell me it's ok or I have to." Louise replied, and then got an idea.

"Let's play a game. It's a new way to play hide and seek."

Celeste cocked her head to the side as she always did when she was confused, or she had a question.

"We're going to play with our minds." Louise said as she took Celeste by the hand and led her to a corner. "I bet it scares you when you feel what other people are feeling doesn't it?" Louise asked.

"Yes." Celeste replied clearly relieved that someone understood.

"I'm going to teach you a trick that Uncle Nathan taught me." Louise said. "When you don't want to know what people are feeling, you hide. Pretend that you have a sheet, and pull it over you. That way no one can get in. Try it."

After several attempts, Celeste had the hang of it.

"Now, if you want to know what people are feeling, you can lift the sheet. If you only want to know a little, then lift the sheet just a little. You choose how much you want to hide and seek."

They practiced for a few more minutes. Louise could tell that Celeste was already feeling better by the shy smile that the girl gave her.

"Just remember what we practiced and you'll be fine." Louise assured her with a hug. "Can you go get Aunt Kev for me?"

As Celeste ran to the patio, Louise puzzled over the fact that Celeste knew that she needed to talk to Kevyn. A few minutes later, Kevyn was in the corner talking to Louise. The first thing Louise told Kevyn about was Celeste.

"She knew that I wanted her to go get you."

"Maybe it was a fluke." Kevyn said.

"I don't think so, but at any rate, I taught her how to shield."

"Alright, what else?" Kevyn asked.

"Barb is going to cause trouble tonight." Louise said. "I don't know what she's going to say or do, but I wanted to warn you ahead of time."

"I'll talk to her..."

"It won't help, and could make it worse." Louise said interrupting her. "We've said everything that needs to be said, and it's out of our hands. The only thing that we can do is not feed into it by letting her rile us."

"I still think that I should say something." Kevyn said.

"What would you say that hasn't already been said?" Louise asked. "She doesn't care; at least she thinks she doesn't. I think that we should warn Patrick and Nathan, and let the chips fall where they may."

Reluctantly, Kevyn agreed. They could hear Juliette talking to the kids, but Barb was nowhere to be found. They found out from Wanda that Barb had left without saying anything.

"I think she was mad about something." Wanda said.

Louise and Kevyn looked at each other, sighed and smiled. It was going to be an interesting evening.

"How about going to the restaurant for breakfast?" Kevyn asked pushing Barb out of her mind.

"I don't think so." Juliette said. "We're not taking the chance that we'll run into the guys. We're ordering in."

Both Louise and Kevyn made a show of wanting to go to the restaurant, and then took turns in the shower.

"You go first." Louise told Kevyn.

******

As soon as Kevyn was in the door, arms surrounded her.

"I've missed you." Patrick said as he stripped her and lifted her into the shower.

He turned on the radio by the shower, and then the shower before sliding into her without warning. Kevyn wrapped her arms around his neck and went along for the ride. When she felt her orgasm begin, she buried her face in his neck, and moaned as Patrick pounded into her only stopping when he was empty.

Afterwards, he washed her hair and back as they talked.

"I hate to say it." Patrick said when she finished telling him about Barb. "But Louise may be right. We could compel her, but that would only be a temporary fix."

"That is so tempting." Kevyn said. "But no, let her hang herself. Once she sees that no one is paying attention to her, maybe she'll stop."

"I have to get going." Patrick said. "Nathan is waiting to see Louise."

After a quick kiss goodbye, Patrick was gone. Kevyn finished drying off, put her nightshirt back on and left the bathroom.

"Your turn." She said to Louise as she passed her on the way to Juliette's room.

Louise hurried into the bathroom and straight into Nathan's arms. A few minutes later, they were in the shower with the music playing to cover the sounds of lovemaking. When they were through, Louise told him about Celeste and then Barb.

"You taught her how to shield?" he asked his pride in her obvious

"I did, and she's a quick study." Louise replied. "I think that she feels better already."

"I'm sure that she does." Nathan replied as he wondered where the Yancy children would fit into the Sinclaire/Yancy line.

However, he disagreed with the approach to the issue of Barb.

"She's acting like a spoiled child, and I won't tolerate any more of her shit. This is our wedding, and if she can't behave then she needs to keep her ass away. In fact, I think I'll pay her a visit."

"Nathan..."

"No, I've had it. Her nonsense ends now." Nathan said in a tone that Louise had never heard him use.

He kissed her goodbye, assured her that he wouldn't hurt Barb; and was gone.

******

Barb slammed the door of her suite closed not caring who heard her.

"I love you." she mimicked in an imitation of Louise and then Kevyn's voice as she threw her overnight bag across the room. She was still cursing and mimicking her sisters when she heard the demanding knock on the door.

"Go away!" she yelled thinking that it was house keeping.

When the knocking persisted, she stomped to the door, flung it open. She opened her mouth to berate whomever it as that wouldn't go away, and closed it when she saw that it was Nathan.

"I want to talk with you, and I don't care where so you can either let me in or I'll do it in the hallway." Nathan said staring down at her with icy blue eyes.

Barb was tempted to tell him to go to hell, but thought better of it. Nathan scared her in a way that Patrick didn't.

"Say what you have to say and get out." Barb snapped as she stepped back to let him into the suite.

Nathan gave her a smile that was as cold as the look in his eyes.

"I don't know what you've got cooked up for tonight nor do I care." he said. "What I do care about is how it will affect Louise and the wedding. So I'm here to give you fair warning, if you do or say anything to disrupt the ceremony or the reception, you will regret it."

"What are you going to do? Lock me away?" Barb asked defiantly briefly forgetting her fear.

"You would be surprised at what I could do." Nathan said his eyes flashing.

Barb gasped, and stepped back as she felt warm liquid run down her legs.

"I don't like you." he continued. "I tolerate your presence only because you are Louise's sister. If I had my way, you wouldn't be attending the ceremony or the reception. Now, I want your word that you will be on your best behavior."

"You can't...."

"Silence." Nathan said firmly. "Look at me."

When Barb was looking at him, he issued a command.

"Every time you even think of being disruptive by word or by deed, you will excuse yourself to the restroom where you will stay until you have regained control of yourself. If there is no restroom available, you will keep your mouth shut. Understood?"

"I.... yes." Barb replied.

"Good, and if Louise asks if I came to see you, tell her the truth."

Nathan left a few seconds later answering his phone as he walked away.

"Hello sweetheart... she's fine... I promise, and she won't be a problem tonight...I'll see you at noon for your feeding. I love you too."

Barb came out of her daze to find that she was wet, and that she was standing on a soaked carpet. It took her a moment to remember that Nathan had just paid her a visit, and warned her to behave.

"Screw you!" she hissed as she went to the bathroom to shower. As she showered, she wondered why she had wet herself instead of going to the bathroom.

*********

Gene was in a quandary. As of yet, neither of his future brother in laws had mentioned his proposals even when they had been together in Leon's suite. The fact that they hadn't mentioned it reinforced the growing realization that he had made a grave error in not approaching them directly.

The only thing that he was completely sure of was that he couldn't approach them today and possibly for the rest of his stay. If they chose to invest with him, it wouldn't be for anywhere near the amount in the proposals. There was a bright side he realized. Even if they invested a small portion of what he suggested, he would have the distinction of bringing the Sinclaire name to the firm. Add that to the fact that they were now related, if only by marriage.

Gene smiled to himself, as he looked at the clothes that he never could have afforded since Dana left him. He wasn't leaving California empty handed. If he had to, he would approach Kevyn and Louise, and have them talk to their husbands. His hope was that they would convince Nathan and Patrick to make major investments. If they did that, then he would be in good shape.

********

Leon was up early. He changed into his gym clothes and headed for the hotel gym. He hoped to run into Nadine again, and was disappointed when he didn't see her. On a whim, he stopped by the front desk to see if Hans was there.

"Good morning!" Hans greeted when he saw Leon.

"Good morning." Leon replied.

"May I help you with something?" Hans asked.

"Maybe." Leon replied. "I was wondering about Nadine... is she seeing anyone?"

Hans looked at Leon for several long seconds before answering. Nadine was like a daughter to him, and he was as protective of her as any father would be of his child.

"Why do you ask?" Hans asked his tone cool and guarded.

Leon was surprised at Hans' change in attitude.

"Whoa!" Leon said holding his hands up in surrender. "I didn't know that you and her... I thought you were into my sister."

"What?" Hans asked, and then saw where the misunderstanding lie. "No, you misunderstand. Nadine and I are not together. It's just that she is like a daughter to me, and I take her happiness very seriously. And yes I am into your sister as you put it."

The two men looked at each other and laughed.

"So is Nadine attached?" Leon asked again.

"No." Hans replied. "She isn't."

"Is she working tonight?" Leon asked.

"No she isn't. " Hans replied. "She will be attending the reception this evening as will I."

"Great, then I'll see you there." Leon said as he walked away. He liked California better by the minute and was beginning to think about staying.

*******

Hans watched Leon walk away, and was pleased. He knew something that Leon didn't, and wondered if Nadine knew. As he finished his shift, he thought about Nadine. He had found her hiding half-starved the century before wandering in the woods behind his home. It seemed so long ago, but it really wasn't. He had taken her in, taught her how to survive as a vampire, and came to love her as a daughter.

In all of that time, she never told him how she came to be in the woods, or anything about the vampires who had turned; and then left her for dead. And he hadn't asked. What he did know was that she had been mistreated. It had taken him weeks to make her understand that he wasn't going to hurt her.

She had come a long way since then. His family had accepted her as one of their own, and all of them participated in her care and education. Currently, she had three degrees, all PhDs in psychology, business and literature and was working on a fourth in international studies, and was thinking about a fifth.

The brilliance of her mind never ceased to amaze him, and he was happy to continue funding her education for as long as she wished to attend school. The walls of his living room at home and office were covered with the evidence of her accomplishments as well as pictures of them together at every graduation and celebration.

He smiled as he thought about the new pictures and certificates that he hoped soon would be joining those of Nadine's. Then he stopped. His home was fine for two or three people but not five or.... His smile widened at the prospect of having children with Juliette.

It was time to move.

******

Juliette kept looking at Celeste. There was something different about her. She seemed more at ease, happier. The change had started on the plane, and now it was obvious that her little girl was doing much better.

"Celeste, come here." Juliette called determined to see if she could find out what was happening. "How are you doing?" she asked when Celeste reached her.

"Fine." Celeste said quietly.

"You like it here don't you?" Juliette asked.

"Yes."

"How come?" Juliette asked as he pulled the little girl into her lap.

"Aunt Lou taught me how to play hide and seek." Celeste replied her voice soft but serious.

"She did?" Juliette asked not understanding what a game had to do with Celeste's more relaxed demeanor.

"Yes."

"Can you teach me?"

"It's a secret." Celeste whispered as she climbed out of Juliette's lap and walked away.

Juliette stared after Celeste, and then went in search of Louise. She found Louise and Kevyn in the bedroom talking about whether to wear their hair up or down.