ForevaXena's FanFic . . .

Compensation

by S. Anne Gardner

©copyright April 2002

All characters within this story are property of S Anne Gardner and Skyder Pub. Nothing from this story can be reproduced without express written permission from S Anne Gardner.

Comments are appreciated. Please send to sanneol7@aol.com.

Part One

Victoria’s fist hit the desktop. She was furious. This deal had cost her two million dollars. Someone had dropped the ball. She was a vicious businesswoman. No one ever got the better of her. This had caught her off guard. Someone close to her had failed and now she would have to personally pick up the pieces and crucify the culprit. Her temper was legendary. All four men that stood in front her stood in fear.

“What the hell happened here Grant!” She asked with barely restraint anger. “You were in charge of this. What happened? When I handed this over to you the deal was sealed. What the fuck happened?”

All three men started speaking at once. She sat down and just stared in controlled anger. They were her puppets. The plan was in action. It had worked faster than she had anticipated. It tasted sweet; so sweet that she had to restrain herself from licking her lips in pleasure.

She had dreamed about how this moment would feel. She had planned it meticulously. It would happen this way, this would result from it. She had even planned sitting as she was and watching it unfold. She could taste the anger and the pleasure in her mouth. She continued to stare at these caricatures in front of her in disdain. Suddenly, she had heard enough. Victoria rose to her feet and all three men held their breath in silence.

“Get out!” Victoria groweld. Grant was about to open his mouth and just as quickly shut it. Sometimes fighting another day was better than loosing one's job. All three men filed out of the office without muttering another word.

She walked around her desk and stopped in front of a portrait to the side wall. The resemblance to the woman on the portrait was unquestionable. Jessika Morlen had been breathtakingly beautiful. “Now I am just like you mother. The game has truly begun,” she said softly. “I will make you proud. I will out do even you.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Come on Danni, give me your hand. I promise I won’t let go,” the dark haired child coaxed.

“Tory, I’m afraid,” Danni answered fearfully as she hung by a branch about 10 feet off the ground.

Tory was two branches higher leaning over with a extended hand.

“I promise, I won’t let go no matter what.”

“Promise?” Danni asked

“Promise,” Tory assured her.

“No, I can’t do it Tory, I’m too scared.” Danni hugged the branch she was now lying on. Quiet suddenly, the cracking became audible. The blonde haired child looked up into fear filled violet eyes.

“Danni! The branch is breaking give me your hand!!” Tory yelled. The cracking noises became louder and a scream filled the air.

Danni had reached out before the branch had finally fallen and now swung in mid air being held up by the grip of her friend. Blue eyes filled with fear held onto violet determined ones.

“Hold on! I won’t let go. Try to grab the branch nearby as I try to swing you over,” said Tory between her teeth.

“Tory, don’t let go please, don’t let go,” Danni begged.

“Never, I promised.”

Danni was able to reach the branch and both girls gradually worked their way down the tree. As they reached the ground they sat down leaning on the tree trunk, both still filled with the excitement and the fear of what just had happened. Tory looked over to Danni.

“Are you okay?” Tory asked.

“Yeah, I thought I was going to die. You saved my life ,you know” Danni's eyes filled with admiration.

Tory just gave her a slumped over smile. Danni suddenly noticed that Tory’s shirt had blood on it. She looked down at Tory’s hands and saw the cuts in them

“Oh my God Tory! Your hands! They're all cut up!” Danni’s shocked eyes looked into a face that had revealed nothing.

“I cut them on the branch,” Tory stated simply.

“When you were hanging on to me wasn’t it?”

“I promised. I promised I wouldn’t let you go, and I didn’t” Tory stated proudly.

“Does it hurt?”

“Yeah, a little” Tory said as she lifted her shoulders. Danni took both hands into her own and brought them up to her lips and kissed them lightly. Tory just stared in adoration.

“Thank you for not letting me fall.” Danni kissed the dark haired child on the cheek. Tory smiled and looked down at her hands. “Will you get punished?”

“It dosen’t matter,” Tory answered softly. “I'll tell them it was my fault.”

“No, it'll make it worse for you.”

“I’m in trouble anyway. I don’t want you to get in trouble,” Tory said quickly.”Mother will be mad and I’ll get punished but I won’t get hit like you for climbing that tree.”

Danni looked down as tears started falling down her cheeks. “Danni, I promise I'll tell them it was all my fault,” Tory insisted. Danni looked up with tear-filled eyes. “One day when I am big I won’t let your father ever hurt you again. I promise,” Tory said as she reached out and embraced the smaller child. “One day, we will leave together.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Victoria closed her eyes and pushed the memory back where it belonged. Why had she suddenly remembered that? It was such a long time ago. Another lifetime really. A memory that had betrayed her. She shook her head, wanting to dislodge it from her mind. It was about someone that she could have been but that could now never be. She closed her eyes and when she opened them, again they were filled with the vision of the portrait.

“I hate you Mother. God, how I hate you.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Father what happened?”

“We're ruined,” Tom answered.

“Ruined how?” Danielle insisted.

“We are going to file chapter 11 Danielle, what part of that don’t you understand?” Tom yelled.

“What happened? Just a few days ago you went out of your way during dinner to tell us how well the company was doing.”

“I’m in real trouble.” Tom sat down and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Father…what happened?”

“Victoria Morlen, that’s what happened!” Danielle straightened up as her father spoke. What did any of this have to do with Victoria Morlen? She hadn’t heard that name in years.

“What does Victoria have to do with this?”

“She's taking over all of my notes with the bank” Tom growled as he got up and started pacing the room. “That bitch is destroying me. She won’t even accept my phone calls.”

Danielle sat down and the silence filled the room. The only thing that kept going around in her head was that Victoria was back. The last time that they had seen each other had been horrible. There had been so much anger. Victoria said that she hated her and she would be back. Well, she was back. Danielle had so many questions. Victoria had been her friend when they were children. Then, it all changed. Victoria changed. The last thing she remembered was Victoria’s eyes and the hatred in them.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Sit down Dominic,” Victoria commanded.

“Here is all the information you requested. What do you want me to do?” Dominic asked after putting a folder on the desk in front of her.

“Show me.”

He took the file and started to explain. He first placed a photo of Thomas Deveraux Jenkins in front of her.

“He is hooked, line and sinker, as they say. Not only do we have him for embezzlement but for getting creative with his books. I just finished buying all his bank notes a few days ago,” Dominic said with a smile. Victoria nodded and he placed the next photo in front of her.

“Beatrice J. Jenkins has not been very involved in anything except for some charity functions she attends. She has been having some heart problems for the last 5 years or so. What should I do with her?” Dominic asked as Victoria finished going through some of the photos attached to Tom’s photograph. She threw one at Dominic.

“Send her that one. Keep the prettier ones for later,” Victoria said with a smile. Dominic looked at the photo of Tom Jenkins kissing a very attractive blonde and nodded.

He placed the next photo and history in front of her.

“This is Tom Jr. Pretty boy about town. A real hellraiser. He is in his sophomore year of college. He has gotten in some trouble but nothing very serious. The old man always comes in and bails him out. What about him?”

“Scandal and jail time, Dominic. This is Tom’s pride and joy. Make it rape and jail. I want this to hurt,” Victoria finished saying with a scowl on her face.

“Done.” Dominic then put the next photo in front of her.

There in front of her were the eyes from long ago. The face had changed, of course. Danielle was now a woman. All she could remember were the features of a child. However, the eyes -- they had not changed. The face that stared back at her was simply beautiful. Victoria stared at the photograph and heard nothing of what Dominic was saying. Danielle, her Danielle, was now a beautiful woman.

“What do you want me to do with her?” Dominic asked.

“What?”

“Her? What do I do with her?” Dominic repeated. He looked at Victoria, puzzled. It was not like her to phase out like that.

“Tell me about her again,” Victoria asked calmly,

“Danielle Jenkins is a painter. She has an exhibition scheduled at a local gallery in two months. She is engaged to Paul Hendrick...”

“She’s what?”

Dominic looked up in surprise. He had hit a nerve.

“She's engaged to Paul Hendrick,” Dominic repeated and stared as Victoria got up walked up to the window and stared out in silence. He waited. He knew better than to interrupt when she exploded like this.

She stood there for what seemed like a lifetime, deep in her memories; as usual unreadable. But Dominic had seen something others never got a chance to. He saw Victoria Morlen shaken. He waited patiently and said nothing as she walked back to her desk and sat down again.

“What do I do with her?” Dominic asked.

“Nothing,” she said looking out into space.

“Nothing?”

“What part of nothing don’t you understand?” Victoria growled as she now stared at him.

“Ahhh….” Dominic mumbled.

Victoria got up very quickly. And all the anger that she was famous for could be now seen in those violet eyes.

“Listen to me carefully Dominic. Don’t think I don’t know that you are always picking at my table. This one is different. Do you understand?” Victoria yelled.

“Okay, fine. This one strikes your fancy. I can understand that,” Dominic said all too quickly. Victoria came around the desk quicker than he had ever seen her and was now face to face with him. Dominic was afraid of his cousin for the first time in his life.

“Stay away from her! She is mine!” Victoria said through her teeth barely able to control the anger from spilling over. “Say it! Say it!”

“Yes Victoria, she is yours.”

She quickly stepped away from him. She turned her back to Dominic before she spoke again, this time in control again. “Go, and do what I asked. Dominic, dig up all you can on this Paul Hendricks.” She turned when she heard the door close.

Victoria looked at the closed door and then back at the photograph. She walked slowly back to her desk and sat down as her fingertips traveled over the face on the photo. She was surprised to hear the word that escaped her lips.

“Danni…… ” The name was barely a whisper.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Dad?”

Tommy? What’s wrong?” Tom asked.

“I’m in jail Dad. Jesus, Dad, you have to help me. I’m in real trouble. I didn’t do anything. I swear it. I’m being charged with rape, Dad. Jesus! I didn’t do it. I swear I didn’t do it!”

“Calm down Tommy. Where are you?” Tom quickly wrote all the information down. “I’m calling a Alistair and we will get you out of there. Stay calm son. I’m on my way. And Tommy, don’t say anything. Do you hear? Don’t say a thing until I get there with Alistair.”

“Okay, Dad. Okay.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Beatrice heard Tom run out of the house and watched as he got into his car and drive away. She proceeded to the library to go through the mail as she did at this time everyday. Her eye was caught by a large envelope with no return address. She turned it over opened it. Out of the envelope slid a photograph. Beatrice recognized Tom immediately. Her breathing became ragged and she clutched at her chest. She managed to get to the house phone and touched the alarm button before she collapse to the floor.

The emergency buttons had been installed in case of such a situation. Beatrice had a very weak heart. Immediately the staff responded. Danielle heard it and started running down the stairs. She saw the maid run into the library and she followed. They both found the older woman lying unconscious on the floor.

“Esther, hurry call 911!” Urged Danielle as she ran to her mother. “Mom, Oh God, Mom. Can you hear me?” Danielle asked as she put her mother’s head on her lap. Danielle noticed that crumpled in one of her mother’s hands was a photograph. She took it and as she saw what must have upset her mother. The photograph was of a very attractive blonde and her father engaged in a very passionate kiss. Danielle looked down at her mother and shook her head. “Oh Mom, please be all right.” She stroked her mother's hair in understanding. Within seconds the sirens filled the air.

~~~~~~~~~~

Tom and his daughter stood in opposite ends of the Intensive Coronary Care Unit’s waiting room. Both deep in their own thoughts.

Danielle had never been particularly close to her father. She had too many unresolved issues with him. But, she loved her mother dearly. She had always run interference between them. And now that she knew why her mother had had this attack she was angry.

“Where's Tommy?”

“He is not able to be here just yet,” Tom answered without looking at his daughter.

“What do you mean he can’t be here just yet? Did you call him Dad?” Danielle demanded.

“He’s in jail. Alistair is getting bail.”

“What? What is going on with this family? Why is he in jail?”

“False charges.”

“What charges Dad?”

“Rape, they are accusing him of rape,” Tom finally said now looking at his daughter’s shocked face. “He didn’t do it. He said he didn’t.”

“God, this will kill mother,” Danielle said softly as she ran her fingers though her hair in a defeated gesture. She sat down and covered her face with both hands. Tom looked on and said nothing as he turned around and looked out the window and into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~

Above the same sky across town was a woman battling her own demons. Victoria was looking out into the city before her. She was in the penthouse suite of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. She had called Caroline earlier and placed her order. She was a good customer and Caroline only ever sent the best. So when there was a knock on the door Victoria called out without hesitation knowing exactly what to expect.

“Come in,” Victoria called out without turning around. The door opened and closed behind her. “I fee very restless tonight. I will need you all night.”

“I’m here for as long as you want me,” replied a soft sensual voice. Victoria turned around and visually assessed the woman in front of her.

“Your hair is dark.”

“Did you want a blonde or …”

“No, I don’t want a blonde. You will do,” Victoria said as she walked over to the brunette. “Take off your clothes.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“It could have been worse, Tom. She is responding to treatment. It's hard to tell what the damage is right now. She's holding her own. I'll come out again in a few hours to talk to you and Danielle,” Doctor Mc Murphy said turning toward Danielle. “You did the right thing when you got her to take the aspirin. It helped with the coagulation.”

“John, what do you think?”

“I think your mother is a strong woman.”

“Thank you, John.”

“I’ll be out later to talk to you okay?” Dr Mc Murphy said as he walked back into the ICCU. Danielle walked back to the opposite side of the room from her father.

“She got a photograph today,” Danielle said not looking in her father's direction.

“What photograph?”

“Of you and a woman in a passionate kiss,” Danielle said accusingly, still not looking at her father. “She had it in her hand when she callopsed. I saw it too.” She looked up.

Tom said nothing then quite suddenly he looked angry. “Who could have sent it? Damn, everything is coming out wrong lately.”

“Coming out wrong? My mother is in there because of you!”

“How dare you talk to me like that!” He growled.

“I stopped caring what you did a long time ago Dad, but she does. She still believes you,” Danielle said, not backing down.

“I have no idea who might have sent that.”

“No, of course not. You never know anything. Things just happen.”

Both faced away from one another in their respective corners.

~~~~~~~~~~

“What do you have on Paul Hendriks?”

“Our boy Paul is a clean cut boy. Very boring, like his fiancee. His papa however has plenty.” Dominic handed the file over to Victoria.

“Well, well. His papa is no other than Senator Matthew Hendricks from the state of Iowa. Papa has been busy hasn’t he?” Victoria’s face lit up with a bright smile.

“He has indeed,” Dominic smiled in return.

~~~~~~~~~~

The telephone rang and Tom picked up quickly. He was waiting for a call from Alistair. He was not able to raise the money to bail Tommy out and he was trying to figure out how he would get out of all this. His world was falling apart in front of him everywhere he looked.

“Tom,” purred a voice.

“Who is this?”

“This is Victoria Morlen. I think we should talk.”

“Victoria, yes. When?” Tom said quickly.

“Now.”

“Now?”

“Unless you have something better to do,” Victoria said nonchalantly.

“No. Now is fine.”

“I’ll be there in 30 seconds.”

“30 seconds?”

“Yes, that is how long it will take me.”

Tom was thrown of balance. This was a game he had played often. But he was on the wrong end this time. Before he was able to say anything the front door bell rang.

“Open the door Tom.” The telephone line went dead. Tom looked down at the phone and up again as the doorbell rang once more.

He opened the door to his study as the maid opened the front door. He was taken aback when he saw a ghost from his past walk into his house. He stood motionless as Victoria approached him. He took in a deep breath. Before him stood the very image of Jessika Morlen.

“Hello Tom,” purred Victoria holding out her hand. Tom looked down at it and took it. He said nothing as she quickly released it and walked into his study leaving him standing there staring at her in shock as she walked further into the room. She turned around and stared at him.

“I hear you have been looking for me?” Victoria said as she sat down on a nearby chair.

“Ahh...Yes. It would seem that you control the most shares to my company.”

“I control what used to be your company.”

“Technically…”

“No technically Tom. It is now my company. Sit down!”

He walked over to a chair in front of her and sat down. “What do you want?”

“You can’t give me what I want.” Victoria’s smile faded.

“Perhaps we can work out a deal,” he attempted again.

“What deal? How will you return my two million, Tom?” Victoria asked. Tom’s face went white with shock. “How will you get your son out of jail with no money? And I did hear about poor Beatrice. It would seem that your life is slowly falling apart.” Victoria smiled.

Tom stared in disbelief. “You! Why are you doing this? You are the one responsible for all this aren’t you?” Victoria leaned back and smiled again.

“Did you send my mother that photograph?” Victoria looked toward the voice coming from the opened study door. In walked Danielle. “Did you send that photo to my mother?” she asked once more. Victoria recovered quickly.

“Yes.”

Danielle stared at her in horror. Before her was once upon a time the only person she had ever confided in. They had shared secrets and dreams. This could not be Tory. This was not her friend. This woman that stood before her was cold. Danielle went up to her and slapped her across the face hard. Victoria’s face turned back and stared at Danielle in controlled anger. When Danielle’s hand went to strike her again it was stopped in midair. Both women stood looking at each other until Danielle pulled away.

“What happened to you? When did you turn into such an animal?” Danielle said in disgust.

Victoria smiled. “When I lost my family.” Danielle stared not understanding. “You have grown up nicely, Danielle,” Victoria said as she looked Danielle up and down.

Danielle was taken aback.

“Yes, very nice” Victoria purred. Victoria walked up to Danielle and her hand went up to her shoulder and traveled down over Danielle’s breast and rib cage. Danielle inhaled audibly and took a step away quickly backing straight into her father.

“She’s not a fruit off the old tree, is she Tom?” Victoria said as she turned around and put some distance between them before she turned to face them again. Her eyes went in search of Danielle’s. Victoria smiled.

Tom interrupted Victoria’s game. “What do you want Victoria?” She looked to him now. Victoria’s eyebrow went up in question.

“Are you asking me?”

“What do you want?” Tom growled. Victoria became very serious. Tom stood holding his breath suddenly realizing he was in a game he would not win. Danielle could see the tension in her father.

Victoria smiled again. Her eyes went to Danielle’s. “Think about it” and as she said this she walked out and left father and daughter stunned. Danielle turned and saw the front door close as Victoria walked out.

Part Two