Chapter 2: Full Circle
* I do not own the BT series characters. They belong to a much more talented individual. I am however, more than happy to take credit for characters/scenarios not featured in the books or television series. Not making any money. No copyright infringement intended*
“Remind me again why we’re doing this?” Vicki Nelson muttered, brushing a strand of hair off her face, and turning to look at her assistant Coreen Fennel, who stood there with a look of strained amusement on her face.
“I told you its spring.” Vicki stared at her, trying to ponder what exactly ran through that girl’s head. Seeing Vicki’s expression, Coreen sighed, rolled her eyes slightly, and explained. “Y’know, spring. Spring cleaning?” She gestured around the room, where all the furniture was pulled back from the wall, and was being moved towards the doorway. The ghostly outlines of the furniture were plainly evident in a thick patina of dust on the hardwood floor.
Coreen continued. “It’s sort of a long-standing tradition. It symbolizes the Earth’s renewal and signifies a new beginning…” Vicki suddenly cut her off with one of her characteristic remarks. “Ah. Well, fortunately it only comes around once a year, ‘cause its hell on my back.” She sat down wearily on the couch, sighed, and stared at her shoes. Coreen cast her eyes downward as well.
Ever since Astaroth had possessed her body three months before and disappeared into the city, Vicki had worked tirelessly to find him, often sacrificing sleep and a balanced diet. For all her abrasiveness, Coreen was thankful for Vicki. Not only for saving her life, but because she had proved to be a more-than-loyal friend. Coreen realized with sadness that at the moment, she was the only friend Vicki had: Henry had moved to Vancouver, and Mike, believing that re-forming a viable relationship with Vicki was impossible, had moved on as well.
The confrontation between Astaroth, the brief, but powerful experience of having control over life and death, and having the two most important men in her life abandoning her all at once, had left Vicki drained beyond repair. Only her dogged sense of independence and stubbornness prevented her from disappearing into a bottle and drinking herself into oblivion. Coreen had expected Vicki to take a few days off, indeed, would have forgiven her entirely if she had, given the circumstances, but the next morning Vicki was up at dawn pounding away at her punching bag, and digging up information on Father Raymond. As expected, Father Raymond virtually disappeared into thin air, and there had been no leads to follow. Coreen attempted to keep Vicki from falling into despair with her usual mix of quirkiness, and cleaning the office from top to bottom was only the latest in a series of mundane events to keep her mind off the darkness that lay ahead.
As if on cue, Vicki heaved herself off the couch, and with an exaggerated sigh, said: “’Cmon, let’s get this over with.” Coreen smiled. If only Vicki knew how much she admired her. “What’s next?” Vicki asked, eyeing the only two pieces of furniture in the room. “Definitely the filing cabinet,” Coreen said looking at the couch with some apprehension. “Couch looks a little heavy.” Vicki chuckled. “Yeah, how ‘bout we just leave the couch where it is?” She looked at Coreen with a playful smile. “I won’t tell if you won’t.” Coreen smiled back, grateful for the humor. “Deal.”
Moving the heavy filing cabinet was no easy feat, and it occurred to both of them midway that it might have been a good idea to empty it before trying to move it halfway across the room. Grunting, Vicki motioned for Coreen to stop. Glad for the break, Coreen happened to glance down at the space where the cabinet had been flush up against the wall, and noticed something glinting in the light coming in from the window. “What’s this?” she asked bending to pick it up.
In a flash, Vicki suddenly remembered the night Christina had showed up to kill her, jealous at the attention she was getting from Henry, and seeking to eliminate the competition. Vicki had taken the Illuminacion del Sol from her desk drawer, and had been prepared to use it on her, and would worry about having to explain it to Henry later. Christina had moved with lightening speed, had quickly subdued Vicki, and would have killed her, had not Henry showed up in the nick of time and come between the two.
During the struggle, Vicki had been knocked unconscious, and the device had skittered from her hands and had apparently landed under the cabinet, where it had lain, forgotten, ever since. Now, as Coreen stood up slowly with the device in her hands, Vicki wrestled with herself how to explain to her why she had it in her possession.
“Coreen, I can explain….” Vicki began, seeing the look of shocked horror on Coreen’s face. “It’s not what you think….” Coreen cut her off. “Where you going to use this on Henry?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper, laced with deep suspicion. Suddenly defensive, and hurt that Coreen would think such a thing, Vicki replied: “Coreen, I would never intentionally hurt Henry. How could you think that?!” Coreen, un-phased by the harsh tone, straightened, and looked Vicki straight in the eye. “Right. Just like you would never intentionally stab him in the gut, take his blood, perform a dark ritual, and forfeit your soul in the process?” Vicki stared incredulously at her, momentarily speechless. Of all the people in the world she thought would understand her actions, Coreen was way at the top. “Hey, we have been over this a million times already! I did what I had to, to save his life! Why can’t anyone understand that?!”
“Yeah, and at what price, Vicki? You alienated Henry and managed to compromise your relationship with him all at the same time!” Vicki’s anger threatened to boil over, and she found herself practically in Coreen’s face. “My relationship with Henry, is nobody’s business. Whatever it is, is between him and me!” She paused, the reality suddenly hitting home. “Was between him and me,” she mumbled softly.
Suddenly overcome with emotion, Vicki felt the tears threatening to spill, and she quickly turned around and sat down on the couch, her head bowed. Instantly regretting her words, Coreen silently approached her and sat down next to her. “Vicki, I’m sorry if I overreacted, but seeing this thing brought back all those memories of when we almost lost him to that psycho.” Vicki chuckled bitterly and wiped her eyes. “Yeah, for all the good it did. I drove him away all on my own.”
The two sat there for a long moment, unsure of what to say, and each silently decided that enough had already been said. That was the cruel irony of it, though: the subject had been talked about and analyzed nearly to death, but nothing had been said that would ultimately change the outcome. Henry was gone, out enjoying the nightlife that Vancouver had to offer, and Mike, suspended from his job, was no doubt sitting at home with the shades drawn, drinking himself slowly to death, staring at Vicki’s photo, wondering where it was he had gone wrong with her. Coreen and Vicki had survived the ordeal, but both still bore the scars: emotionally and physically.
Finally, Vicki broke the silence. “C'mon,” she said forgivingly. “We still gotta tackle the files up in storage.” Coreen smiled, glad that Vicki’s humor inevitably came through. “Great. Can’t wait. Maybe I’ll find the Holy Grail behind all those boxes.” Vicki chuckled softly and got off the couch.