Adrianna: Ten

Fidel was happy to just have Noelle during the day now it was much easier for his stress level. He was however finding himself depressed knowing it was only a matter of time before she, like Gemma, took off for school and then he’d be out of a job.

“Mommy can I have a friend over after school?” Gemma asked as they left for work and school that morning.

“Sure sweetie.” She said giving her a quick hug before shooing her onto the bus. She couldn’t help but have a nagging feeling that something was going to change today.

Unfortunately Adrianna had to work late so she didn't know the identity of Gemma's friend or the impact he would be making on their lives.

“It’s nice to finally do homework with someone as smart as me.” Gemma told Jackson.

“Tell me about it, all those humans at our school are so dumb.” He said.

“Well that’s not very nice.” She frowned.

“It’s not my fault they are beneath us. My daddy says that vampires will run this town someday.” He tells her.

After a game of tag the two friends start talking. “I have a secret.” Jackson told her.

“What is it?” Gemma asked him eagerly.

“I know who your daddy is.” She took a sharp breath.

“You do?” She had always wondered about her dad but she didn't want to hurt her mother’s feelings by asking about him.

“Yes."

"How do you know?"

"Because your daddy is my daddy too!" He said gleefully.

"He is?!" Gemma asked shocked. She had no idea she had a brother, her mother had told her that her Dad had another family but not much else. "Can I come see him?" 

“Not today he's not home!” He shook his head and Gemma frowned. "You can come home with me from school tomorrow."

“Ok!” She was practically bouncing with joy.

Jackson was gone by the time her mother got home and they sat down for dinner. “Are you sure you don’t want me to make you something substantial to eat?” Adrianna frowned at her daughter’s choice of dinner.

“No momma Jack says all vampires drink plasma juice when they are little!” Gemma rolled her eyes, her mother didn't know anything about being a vampire. 

“Ok, as long as you like it.”

Adrianna rubed the back of her neck and yawned as she waited to tuck Gemma in for the night. “Goodnight sweetheart.” She kissed her head and turned out the light heading into the living room. Not quite ready for bed herself she decided to do a quick workout. A feeling of dread was slowly seeping into her stomach and she was sure that tomorrow would be the day that things started to change.

When she arrived at school the next day she found out that Jack had grown into a teen and had switched classes, meaning she had to suffer through the day without being able to ask him more questions about her father.

Meanwhile just before work her mother received an important phone call. “Hello?”

“It’s time.” A familiar male voice told her.

“I’m sorry who is this?” She asked.

“It’s Fall,” He drawled annoyed. “I’m meeting our daughter today, after school.”

“I’m sorry what? I know we agreed you could see her but you have to give me more notice then that!”

“Like you gave me about her existence?”

“Real nice… this is different.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes, I've had no time to prepare her to meet you.”

“Don’t worry she’ll be fine, Jackson has told her enough.”

“Oh yea Jackson, that was real sneaky sending your son home with her.”

“You’ll get over it.”

“I have half a mind to stop this from happening all together.”

“This was a courtesy call Adrianna I will see her today.” He barked in a final tone.

“If she gets hurt in some way from this I will stake you.”

“That’s not how it works darling.”

“Don’t call me…” She started to yell but he hung up before she could finish so instead she stormed into work.

 After school Gemma and Jackson headed straight to his house however it was dark before her father showed up and Jackson took the time to introduce them. Gemma looked up at the blue haired man and noticed her same eyes staring back at her. “I’m Gemma.” She told him.

“Hello Gemma. I apologize for being so late but as you can see my wife has just given birth. This is your sister Marie.” He replied. She wanted to ask him so many questions like why he didn't live with her and her mother but she was too intimidated to get the words out so instead she just stared at him. “I wanted to meet you so I could start your training.”

“Training for what?” She asked curiously.

“All the vampires in my line have followed the same path, a path you too will one day follow and to do that you must have the proper training.”

“What path?” The whole thing sounded sketchy to her but then again she knew nothing about vampires and this was her dad he knows what she should do, right?

“The path to the family business.” He said simply.

“What is the family business?”

“You certainly have a lot of questions.” He shook his head. “We’ll break you of that habit. Our family works slightly outside the law,”

“Your criminals?” She interrupted shocked.

“That’s not the term we like to use but yes to put it bluntly we are criminals.” Gemma gets an uneasy feeling in her stomach combined with a slight feeling of excitement she can’t explain.

“I have to do this?” She asked her voice quiet.

“It is your duty as my child, one day you or one of your siblings will take over for me.” He said proudly. “Don’t worry I can sense great power in you, you will impress me. Now I must put your sister to bed.”  

After Fall disappeared to put Marie in her crib Gemma headed to the table to start her homework. As she sat she processed the information she has just received. Being a criminal wasn't on her list of desired careers but if she wanted to get close to her father then she had no choice. She knew she wouldn't be able to tell her mother about this without Adrianna freaking out and banishing her from seeing her father so she would have to keep everything a secret.

“Jackson it’ll be up to you to keep up with her training when I can’t.” Fall told his son with his back to Gemma.

“Training?” Jackson asked in a surprised voice.

“Of course son she too will be earning her rights to the family business.” Fall says and leaves them.

With her oldest out Adrianna distracted herself from her worries with Noelle. They were still working on talking but she figured it was time to get to walking. Noelle turned out to be a pro at walking and picked it up pretty easily.

“Just a few more days and you’ll be a big girl like your sister!” She lifted her up in the air. “What is mommy going to do?”

“More up!” Noelle giggled and Adrianna obliged. 

***************

So the part with Fall... I thought I had gotten more pictures before the full moon set in and gave everything that annoying green glow but I apparently didn't so I had to shorten it a little bit. I've been having issues with forgetting that I'm writing in past and not present so there may be a few errors in there lol... it's a problem I have a lot unfortunately. The next couple chapters are very focused on Gemma as I didn't take a whole lot of pictures of Noelle until she was well into the child stage, but I promise she'll get interesting once I do start talking about her more.