The Untold Story

15. Secretive...

This chapter is dedicated to @Solesister71 for her comments that never fail to leave me in stitches. Check out her story Beginning of Forever. It's an amazing Vampire story like no other (seriously, Twilight and Vampire Diaries got nothing on this one!)

Lily found Natasha in the kitchen early in the morning, preparing the cupcakes for the bakery.

"Good morning," she said as she tied the sash on her robe before perching on the high chairs by the counter.

Natasha briefly looked up from the bowl of dough she was mixing and gave her mother a nod of acknowledgement before returning to her task.

"You're still mad at me," Lily observed, drumming her fingers on the counter.

"No I just forgot to wear my 'happy to see mum' face today."

Lily sighed. "I'm sorry I was hard on you yesterday but I'm only trying to protect you."

"Nathan isn't the bad guy here," Natasha argued.

"Then who is? Me?" Lily asked, eyebrow raised.

"Are you?" Natasha stopped mixing again. "Where did you go last night?"

Lily leaned over and scooped some dough up from the bowl with her finger. She licked it off and said "Could use a little sugar."

She stood and shuffled back upstairs in her nightgown and fluffy slippers. "When you're done with those, let me know. We're going to see David."

Natasha stared after her mother's retreating back and shoved the bowl away in frustration. After stewing for a few seconds, she went back to work. By the time she had finished everything including a quick change of outfit, she found her mother waiting for her downstairs, dressed in a cream long sleeved blouse, black slacks and matching black heels.

She walked past her and picked up the big box of cupcakes then strode past her again, heading for the door. Lily followed and opened the door for her.

"Smile Tasha," she said cheerily, ignoring the sour faced expression Natasha gave her. "We're putting a criminal behind bars."

***

"We have a solid case right?" Lily asked David as they sat in his office after the cupcake drop off. Natasha sat quietly in a corner of the office, nursing the coffee that David's assistant had provided in one hand as she tapped away on her phone with the other.

"Yes." David knit his fingers together, holding them under his chin. "You know the Bandieer's aren't going to go down without a fight. Is Natasha ready for all that?" He glanced briefly at Natasha.

Natasha looked up from her texts as Lily approached her and sat on the armrest of her chair. Lily put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her daughter close.

"When you were five years old and in pre-school, there was a girl who used to bully Kelsey. I think her name was Angela. She used to take Kelsey's food and colored pencils and Kelsey never told on her to the teachers or her parents. You saw Kelsey crying one time and you comforted her even though you had no idea what was going on and you eventually became friends. One day, Angela came and demanded both of your lunches and you took your peanut butter sandwiches and threw them in the garbage can then told Angela that if she wanted them then she should dig them out of the trash like the rubbish person she is," Lily laughed when she said the last line.

"My point is, you've always been so strong even when you were a child and you always stood up to bullies but Max hurt you so badly that the only way you felt safe was with a stolen gun. That's not the Natasha I know and it makes me so angry to know that some lowlife did this to you and I want him to pay. I want my strong, brave girl back." She smiled ruefully at Natasha who was touched by the trip down memory lane. David looked on with a smile as Natasha hugged her mother.