Author’s Note: Wow, it’s been a long while since I wrote anything like this, let alone writing for Fictionpress. Thank MistressMai Lynn for that and look at her works, where you can find one story that contains what happens to Alaric, the main char after this story. I hope you enjoy! :D

Family Matters

Prologue: The Day Father Visited

Somewhere on Earth, there lived a beautiful woman named Justine Blake with her young son Alaric. She moved from the city to live in a small two story home in the county, miles from the nearest town. There she wanted to start her life over, a fresh new start. Though separated from society, they were quite happy with just being with themselves. Justine wanted to keep her past a secret, after all. A secret which Justine kept from her son and hoped he would never discover or be a part of. Her hopes were in vain as her peaceful life was interrupted on one dreadful day…

Golden blades of grass that surrounded the small house swayed with the wind as Justine grabbed another clothespin from her basket. Hanging up another piece of laundry on the clothesline in the backyard, she looked up to the window of the second floor of her white painted and beige painted house. Raising her hand to block the sun out of her eyes as her long curly blond hair flew gently with the wind. A soft smile spread on her lovely face as she watched her son play with some toys on the inside windowsill. Looking down, the small boy smiled at his mother before continuing his play.

Justine then turned back to her work, but she only got one more piece of clothing up when something startled her.

“It’s very pretty here.”

Gasping in surprise, she turned quickly to see a young girl on the other side of a sheet she had hung up earlier. The little girl was hidden and revealed briefly by the sheet as it moved back and forth with the wind, but Justine could tell she couldn’t been any older than eight.

“You scared me,” Justine said, putting a hand to her chest and pushing a loose strand of gold hair behind her ear. “Who are you? Are you lost….”

She trailed off as she pulled back the sheet to get a better look at the child and her blue-gray eyes widened in shock.

“You’ve forgotten me, Mother?” the small blond child asked, her cold green eyes staring back with her young expressionless face. “By the way, Mother. You’re also very pretty. This place suits you.”

Justine took several steps away from the one who claimed to be her daughter.

“How…”she muttered, her mouth slight horror. “If she’s here…He‘s here too…”

Her eyes narrowed suddenly and a soft frown replaced her surprised expression, “Where is he, Marianne? Where’s your father?”

The young child named Marianne smiled softly, “Inside. You should secure your house better.”

Justine’s eyes widened in fear and without another word to her daughter, she left quickly to the front of her home. Marianne watched her go, her smile leaving her small face. She looked up at the house and spotted the boy at the window, too immersed in his play to notice her. As she watched him, her curiosity grew. The was, of course, her first glimpse of her little brother.

---

Pausing only to stare in surprise at the black car parked further down the road that lay in front of her house and then at the front door, which was ajar, Justine rushed inside.

“Alastor Corvid!” She yelled angrily as she entered.

The tall man in a black coat was standing near the fireplace in the living room, a picture of Justine holding Alaric as a toddler in his hands.

“He looks good here…” His voice was deep and commanding. “Very healthy.”

Justine cautiously walked over to him, relieved that he hadn’t gone upstairs to the boy’s room.

“What are you doing here? We had an agreement.” She said firmly, yet seeing him again after so many years had unnerve her a bit.

Placing the picture back on the mantle, he turned to her. Alastor was a very handsome man with salt and pepper hair and piercing dark green eyes. Dressed in a dark suit under his coat, he had the air of a man who was very strong and decisive.

“I just came to check up with you, my dear Justine.”

His voice, yet firm, held a bit of compassion as he spoke her name. Closing the gap between them so they stood only a foot away from each other, he reached a hand to her face.

Justine allowed him to touch her, but her face was resolute.

“We’re fine. Now, would you please leave before he sees you.” She said, folding her arms.

“But Mother…” Justine turned her head to see Marianne at the door. “…aren’t you glad to see us again?”

Her mother looked at her regretfully, before looking away, “That’s not the point, honey.”

Alastor watched her for a moment, “Justine, don’t lie.”

She looked back at him in confusion.

“About being fine,” the man explained, his eyes dark. “I know about your doctor visit yesterday.”

“You’ve been watching me!” Justine accused angrily.

Her former husband shook his head before looking back at her, his eyes unnerving her. “I’m monitoring you. There’s a difference. I have to keep an eye on my future investments, after all.”

Justine looked startled, then looked away, scowling slightly at the floor. “So, you know then…”

“I just want to make sure everything is how we said it will be. The boy will be turned over to me, correct?” Alastor said, moving closer to the woman, his voice low.

Justine continued to stare at the floor, suddenly hating herself as she closed her eyes, “Yes, as according to the agreement.”

“Good.” Alastor, however, did not look happy.

After a long silence, he moved his face close to the side of hers, “I’ve missed you.”

Justine glared back to him, backing away slightly, her voice full of hate “How? Isn’t Marianne enough for you?”

The man smirked, “That hurts.”

Justine shook her head in disgust and turned away from him. It was then that she realized Marianne was gone.

“Oh no…”

---

Marianne’s small hand turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door a crack. Peering inside with one forest green eye, she saw a small boy’s room full of scattered toys. The four year old was too busy in a heated battle between the dinosaurs and army men to notice the silent observer.

Slowly, she opened the door and walked in, nervously tugging at her white dress. Alaric, hearing the door creak open, turned around and smiled when he saw the young girl.

“Hi,” he said innocently.

“Hi.” Marianne replied, slowly stepping towards him.

The boy turned back to his game. “What’s your name?”

Marianne blinked, “My name’s Marianne, Alaric.”

The boy paused and turned back to her, blinking in childlike confusion. “Are you mommy’s friend? Did mommy tell you my name?”

Marianne smiled as she walked up to him, her piecing green eyes looking straight into Alaric’s large gray ones.

“No, our Daddy did.” Marianne replied.

Alaric was eyebrows knotted in confusion, “My daddy? I don’t have a daddy though, mommy said so.”

Marianne’s smile faded slightly, “Yes, you do. I live with him. I’m your big sister.”

The small boy looked at her for a second before breaking into a big smile, “You do look like mommy, very pretty. Want to play?”

Marianne blinked, her smile vanishing briefly in surprise before reappearing. She moved to his side and kissed his forehead.

“I think I like my brother.”

Alaric looked up at her with his large eyes, before smiling back. “I like you too.“

His eyes suddenly looked at something over her shoulder, his face breaking into a wider smile, “Mommy!”

Marianne turned around to see Justine standing at the doorway, looking warily at them.

“Marianne, honey, you better go to your father. He’s leaving,” she said, forcing herself to smile.

The little girl grinned, her eyes cold as she walked back towards her mother. “It was nice seeing you again, you too Alaric.” she added looking back to the small boy.

“Bye, bye!’ Alaric waved happily. “Come back soon.”

Marianne’s grinned widened and looked back to Justine, who looked back with a mixed look of fear and sadness. She passed her mother and headed for the stairs, Justine didn’t look back to her.

“Mommy!” Alaric rushed to his mother, who bent down to meet him. “I have a sister! She looks really nice, just like you! Is she going to come back and live with us? Mommy?….what’s wrong?…. Why are you crying?”

Justine embraced her child tightly as the tears fell down her face, staining her beautiful cheeks.

Her peace had been shattered. Their coming made her aware of the truth…that with her death, her sweet boy will never find happiness again and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her past life had finally come back to haunt her…

To be continued….

AN: I’m too lazy to rewrite. So, sorry for any grammar/spelling errors and I hope you like it anyways. :p Please review!