Pilling it on

Bill frowned at her words about always being together.

"What makes you think that we won't be?" he asked curiously.

Any and all thoughts of scandalizing Kiara had gone out of his mind, something was wrong for her to mention their status.

"I promised you we would always be together. What makes you think I would change my mind?"

She blinked, seeing that he had slightly misunderstood her request.

"No...I'm not saying you'll change your mind" she said as she turned her head to look at him.

"I just....I have this bad feeling in me" she said softly. "Something bad is going to happen Bill... something... I don't know...something very bad.. and..." she met his gaze "it..it scares me"

"Something bad?" he repeated her words.

Was there something that she was not telling him? Something someone had said? He would keep that note to use at a later date.

"Sweetheart, nothing bad is going to happen. The war shall be over soon, everything will go back to normal" he assured her as he cradled her face between his broad hands "I assure you...I will never let anything happen to you. I promise you that" he promised her.

Bill knew that his enemies would find a way to get to him through those he loved, and he would make sure that nothing happened.

Even if it cost him his life.

She leaned into his hands, closing her eyes. For a brief moment she looked not like herself, but like the young, innocent girl she had once been. A girl scared of the unknown, scared of being hurt and craving any company to combat the loneliness of her existence.

"I don't fear for myself....I fear for you" she said finally after a moment of silence.

Bill heard her words, but in all honesty Bill did not fear death.

"Sweetheart I have lived for nearly 200 years, I have lived my life and more. If I have to die, I will make sure that there is a reason to die...Fighting for you, Jessica and Brianna. What other way is there to go?" he asked rhetorically.

She pouted again. "Not going would be nice.... I haven't spent nearly enough time with you to justify you even leaving on vacation let alone leaving me forever" she said with that pout that Bill adored and hated at the same time.

"Sweetheart......" he ended.

Bill hated talking about death with Kiara, especially since they had both lived through so much of it.

"Isabel is a cruel, sadistic vampire. She will do anything that she has to, to get what she wants. In war there is always a risk that I may die. I am not going to say that I am giving up, far from it. I will fight to the very end. But you need to be prepared for every outcome" he pleaded with her.

Kiara still pouted and turned around to bury her face in the crook of his neck.

"Then I'll just have to attach myself to you so I'm never far" she said against his skin in a soft childish tone.

In reality she knew it was something she had to prepare for, even if she didn't want to.

"As amusing as that would be...I don't think I could explain to my guests why I have an extra two arms, legs and a pair of breasts in my meetings" he joked with Kiara.

Deep down he knew that Kiara was going to have trouble letting him go even if things did go wrong, but it was something that he was prepared for when the first declaration of war was started.

"Where we are now, war, death and pain does not exist sweetheart" he whispered.

She giggled and nuzzled him softly. "then what does exist Bill? loneliness and and anger?" she asked as she looked up at him.

"I know you're taking the weight of the world on your shoulders... but don't work so much you forget the people who care about you"

"Kiara you have to understand. Everything that I am doing is because of the people that I care about. Isabel has drawn the lines and I have yet to breach them. She has been cunning about her plans, she ordered attacks on my progeny. She has yet to place one on your head, it will only be a matter of time. I do what I have to do to keep everyone safe. The long hours, working behind this stupid desk to attack her with facts and figures" he grumbled.

Indicating to all the paperwork on his desk that held various accounts that belonged to Isabel.

"This all means nothing. So when you feel that you are not wanted or being a nuisance. Remember that I am doing this to keep my family safe. I will not tolerate anyone going against my commands, including you. Whatever you, Jessica or Brianna do to endanger yourselves adds another target to my back, giving me a weak spot. All it takes is for inch of weakness to be seen and Isabel will take it" he barked.

Bill knew that he was being harsh in his tone, but he needed to get his point across, he would not take anything lightly no more.

Kiara blinked and lowered her head. Bill's word hurt but not in the way he expected. She shook her head and slowly got off his lap. She picked up her blouse and clutched it to her bare chest.

"Well... then I'll let everyone know we shouldn't do anything to make you look weak. We wouldn't want that" she said as she put on her blouse again.

"But just remember... Isabel doesn't want you dead...the targets are on myself and your daughters. But I'm sure once we're all dead...you won't look weak at all"

"Do not test me Kiara. Not tonight! Do you know what will happen if she succeeds in her war? Louisiana will be open for the taking! If I do not survive this, do you know what she will do to Jessica? To Brianna? To you? Isabel is cruel and she will not care about hurt feelings or morals. You will all be subjected to torture that you will beg for death! Men shall have their way with all of you! Do you want that? For your family?" he asked her, folding his arms across his chest.

Bill could see that his words were getting to her as he continued using something that would sure get her to see sense.

"Sophie cares a lot for you. Carry on like this, and she won't have anyone left. And all because you cannot follow simple requests? Do you want he to be all alone?" he quizzed her.

Kiara chuckled darkly "Heaven forbid someone tortures me... It's not like I didn't get fed torture with Russell for three years" she muttered.

She lifted her head and looked at Bill. "And tell me Bill...what requests have I disobeyed? To stay home and never leave? To be under watch by your guards? Oh I know...its the one where I'm to drop everything and be in your office whenever you desire it...thats it" she said as she smiled gently.

"Well... then I guess the only way to ensure you win will be to kill Isabel. Guess I'll get right on that. So you can go back to living in your office and ignoring your family again"

"You test the patience of a saint Kiara" he growled "You think that I like it being like this? To be locked away? Well I do not! But it is a price that I have to pay being what I am. You knew exactly what you were getting into! Do not pretend that you did not! I have to make sacrifices that I do not want to make, but I am left with no choice. This is who and what I am. The choice is yours. Stay and except it....Or...Or....You know what? Forget about it!" he growled as he turned his attention back to the mounting paperwork on his desk.

Kiara chuckled again. "Bill... who is pretending anything here? The only one pretending to be anything different is you" she said softly.


"Nearly 200 years ago you lost your family, your human family... now, when another family is presented to you the concept has become alien to you" she said as she crossed her arms.


"You hold on so tight, you demand total control...because the last time you didn't have control, someone else did. You're holding us so tightly near you that you're driving us away...which is what Isabel wants. She wants you to lose control, she wants you to drive away those you love because it makes it so much easier to kill you"

She looked around the office and her eyes landed on the computer. "Look at Jessica...she wants so badly to go out, so badly to go to work but instead she stays here, while her rebellion grows. Look at me. I'm forced to video chat with my own daughter, to run a business from this mansion. I didn't even go and leave flowers on my own parent's grave because you have me here, caged...caged because its the only way you know to keep control"

She took a step forward. "You're playing right into Isabel's hands... by being so concerned over the whereabouts of your own family you can't even see the moonwalking bear before you"

Moonwalking bear before you? That was not something Bill had heard before.

"I am not the same man that I was all those years ago Kiara. As much as you want to believe that I am, he died a long time ago. His body lies in the grave outside with Caroline, Sarah and Thomas. That man is gone! You want to believe that I am still him when you do not want to see what I am, what I have to do to keep everyone alive!" he growled as his hand fisted in his locks of hair.

He stood from his chair as he remained behind his desk as his hands rested on the edge of his desk as he let out a betraying sigh.

"If this is what I have to do to keep you all alive. Then I have no choice. Everything that I do is for the good of this family! But if you feel that I am not doing enough then please enlighten me? Tell me how I can end this war and keep everyone alive!" he commanded her.

Kiara looked at him as a serious look came over her eyes. "By training soldiers Bill. By focusing on what is outside these walls"

She walked over to the window. "Let me train Jessica and Brianna on how to defend themselves properly. Let me worry about what is in here... so you can worry about what is out there"

She turned her head towards him. "You're not alone Bill... don't think you must take on all the burdens. Show Isabel that she must contend with both of us... that day and night someone is coming after her"

"You need not worry about Brianna's training, that is covered. Work with Arabella if you must" he suggested to her.

As his eyes followed her to the window as he heard her about wanting to join him, day and night to fight against Isabel.

"No. It is out of the question Kiara. I will not have it! I will not have you put in harms way because of me. You may not think much of me...But I can be as sadistic as Russell, as cunning as Roman. I know what I am doing....But train Jessica if you wish, I will not stop that. But this war is my doing alone. I will be the one to end this....either Isabel meets the True Death....or I shall. Either way...you will not be involved. Your life is far more important than mine. Should anything happen to me I will be counting on you to help Jessica and Brianna. This is your job Kiara" he instructed.

Kiara shook her head. "Bill... the whole point of us being together is being partners and being together in everything, especially this" she said as she looked at him.

"My job...is to support you, often regardless whether or not you want support. So I can either keep you in the loop on what I do in the day against Isabel or I don't...your choice"

"You will do nothing Kiara. Understood? Yes we are partners, but this is something you will not involve yourself in. Do I make myself clear? If I hear otherwise.....It is getting late....You should get some rest" he told her, not suggested.

Turning from her as he sat himself at his desk and began going through the papers on his desk.

She sighed and walked to the door. "Guess you won't hear anything.... " she said as she held the door handle.

"pity.... I liked our bedtime...talks...." she said as she opened the door and left his office.