The Dreaded Dinner of Doom

"I know what Darien did." Ana replied, slight annoyance in her voice. "But he does not. And even if he did, he probably would pretend not to." She sighed.
"And your comments about you being better than Darien in bed gave him an excuse..."

"No it didn't." Nicolas said heatedly. "What I said was nothing compared to him."

"I know...I know."
Ana still refused to look at Nick. "I know...my father's evil. I know he shouldn't have said that, but that doesn't change the fact he did. And ranting about it to me isn't going to help either."

Nicolas blinked several times and decided he was angry at the wrong person. "I miss Diana terribly." He admitted.

"I would never have guessed..." Ana muttered hitting her forehead with her hand.
"Ugh...Dad's going to kill me..."

"Thank you by the way," Nicolas said looking at her. "I appreciate what you did for me back there."

Ana grunted as a form of 'you're welcome'.

Why the hell had she done that?

She poked her thoughts and wondered what the hell she'd been thinking...

"I just want to know..." Nicolas said softly. "Why? Why did you do it?"

Ana sighed, and rubbed a hand across her eyes. "Why did I know you were going to ask that?"
She sighed again. "You tell me. I never side against Dad..." She paused. "But he was just annoying me...all that crap about...It just annoyed me. I had no choice but to side with you."
She glanced across at him for a second. "Don't swell your head too much."

Nicolas cracked a grin. "Are you sure you had to side with me?"

"I'm just teasing, thank you for sticking up for me."

Ana smiled slightly. "You're welcome...This is one hell of a weird day." She pushed her hair back again.
"On the bright side, now I know Dad will do anything I say..." She smiled. "This has possibilities..."

Nicolas chuckled. "Make him tap dance."

Ana blinked. "That would just be creepy. And probably illegal in most countries."

"It would make me feel a lot better about him." Nicolas said seriously.

Ana snorted. "I don't care if you two don't get along, I just care if you start killing each other with antiques in the vicinity...Or with Will, Eliza or Darius in the vicinity."

"I would never do anything of that sort in front of them." Nicolas said defensively.

He put his head back and sighed. "I'm going to bed now." He stood, "Good night."

"'Night..." Ana muttered. She waited until he'd walked away before she rested her head against the stair rail...
Gradually, her eyes closed, and she fell asleep...

...FIVE YEARS LATER...

Nicolas was busy ticking Darius when suddenly the door bell rang.

"Who could that be?" Nicolas wondered aloud. Nicolas stood up to answer the door.

At least... he tried to stand up. Darius had clasped his little arms tightly around Nicolas' leg.

"Darius!" Nicolas laughed. "I need to answer the door."

Darius didn't let go.

"Have it your way then..." Nicolas walked slightly awkwardly towards the door. He grabbed the door knob and opened it to the sight of one Mr. Vaight.

Reginald took in the sight before him. A small boy was clinging onto his...son-in-law's leg.
He glanced at the child cautiously, comparing him to Nick.
The child looked just like...
Reginald gasped and stumbled backwards a step.
He opened and closed his mouth several times. He knew what his son had looked like as a child...and this boy looked exactly the same...apart from the blue Casillas eyes.
"...My...Grandson?"

Nicolas was beyond shock when he saw Reginald at the door. He wanted to make Darius disappear from the spot. He should have checked who was at the door before he opened it. Stupid really, with these dark times he should have. It's just that he was depending too much on the charms and wards Nicolas put around the house that would ward out any enemy that would want to hurt them or anything like that. If one made it to the door well it was safe to say there were harmless... that is... Nicolas forgot to consider a certain Mr. Vaight.

Nicolas swore inwardly. He looked at Darius and said, "Go upstairs now."

"But Daddy, I want to know who that funny looking man is..." Darius said. Darius, a curious little boy seemed to be interested at the man at the door who called him his Grandson. "Is he my Grandfather, Daddy?"

Nicolas swore inwardly again. He couldn't lie now. "Yes... he's your mother's father... now go upstairs please. Killa!"

The elf poofed at the spot. "Master?"

"Take him upstairs," Nicolas refused to say Darius' name. That would only validate that Reginald only guessed at.

The elf took Darius and popped him right out. That left Nicolas and Reginald alone.

"He looks so much like his father." Reginald's tone was interested.
"But I am intrigued, why did you say I was his mother's father?...Ah." A look of understanding crossed his face.
"You and Ana haven't told him, have you?"
He glanced at the stairs. "I would've thought it would be hard for Ana to face the image of her brother every day."
"So did I." Ana appeared from another room, and stood next to Nick. "Father...Nick...Why don't we discuss this in the study?"
Reginald nodded. "As you wish. Lead on."

Nicolas flinched at the word "Father" for he knew exactly who it was Reginald was referring to and it wasn't who Nicolas considered was Darius' father.

Nicolas had enough self control not to slam the door on Reginald's face and let him enter the house... he was after all, Ana's father. He let him come through before he slammed the door behind him.

He then followed Ana and Reginald towards the study.

Ana sat down between the two.
"Okay...Dad-"
Reginald held up a hand. "I think I am permitted to see my own grandson."
Ana bit her lip. "Well...he does now know you are his grandfather...He just doesn't know which of your children is his parent..."
Reginald rolled his eyes. "I am aware. I am also aware your other family does not know."

"They suspect, but they don't entirely care, after all he is still a Casillas." Nicolas said tensely.

Reginald nodded. "And he is also still a Vaight."
Ana paused. "Well...how about this...Dad, you say nothing to him, nor to Nick's family-"
"Why I would is beyond me..." Reginald muttered.
Ana rubbed a hand across her eyes. "You do not tell him. Don't tell Darius anything. He thinks me and Nick are his parents."
Reginald folded his arms. "The heir of my heir...I would need something in return."
"I know. Nick, can I talk to you in the hall for a moment?" Ana asked, standing up.