Engrained

Chapter1

He held her hand like he has done somany times before, but this time it was different. His eye filled upwith tears, an emotion that he has not shown in such a long time. Afew tears escaped from his eyes as he looked down at their handstogether. This time he finally understood what Randall told him manyyears before.

It is the dark of night, and the moon shinedbright with its fullness. He ran his hands through his hair thenight, bouncing off his 5 o'clock shadow. He took the last drag ofhis cigarette as he smirked to himself as his hand dropped to hisside, showing his long black trench coat. He blended into the nightwith his dark clothing. He looked over at the emergency room entranceas the people ran in and out the doors like there was a commotion. Hetook a deep breath and made his way down the sidewalk to the mainentrance. He walked into the hospital without catching any eyes. Hecontinued to walk the hallways as he searched for the room that hewas looking for. He stopped in the hallway and then opened the doorand walked into another hospital unit.

A man sat in thewaiting room. He had short brown hair and looked a bit of a mess. Heplaced his elbows on his knees as he tried to deal with what was justhappening. He took a few deep breaths and got back up and started towalk around the room some more. He sat back down as the man in allblack spotted him and walked into the room. The man in black satdown, and the smell of booze started to fill his nose.

"Younervous?" The man in black asked.

"Yea, first child,"The other man said took some more deep breath as he shook.

"Ihave been through this before. Take a breath. You will be fine" Theman in black patted his leg.

"I am Nicholas" He put outhis hand.

"Mark," He said and shook his hand, "Lookslike I better get back to it. See you around."

"Thanks,man. See you around."

Mark walked down the hallway some morea few of the nurses running in and out of rooms. No one seems tonotice that he was still searching. For who he was not sure of, butsomething told him he would know when he got there. Mark finallystopped at one door. He placed his hand on the doorknob and knew thatthis was the room. He walked into the room, filled with nurses anddoctors. The staff is screaming and yelling as a female laid on herback as she delivers a child.

"Michelle, we need you topush," A nurse says as she pats her forehead and pushing away herlight auburn hair.

"Michelle, hunnie, I know you are tired,but you need to push," another nurse said.

Mark leaned upagainst the wall. He was in the right room. He could feel it in hisgut as he looked down at his arm, the marking glowing on it stronglynow. He covered it up so that the shining could not distract thestaff. It was not like the staff even knew that he was in the room.Mark tilted his head a bit as he stared at the machine. He watchedthe numbers start to drop as he stared at them harder and harder. Thestaff started to run in and out of the room, more and more staffcoming into the room.

"Wahhh wahhh," The cries of anewborn filled the room, and Mark lost his focus on the machines. Hestopped and looked at the small naked female that was now being puton the mother's chest.

"She is coming back," Mark heardthe doctor said, and he tilted his head to the other side as hestared down the child crying in the room. Mark stood there and staredas a million pictures flooded in his mind about this round face withred/auburn hair with light blue eyes and full lips smiled, and shewas talking back to him as he stared at this naked newborn covered ingoo and being wiped clean.

"Let's get her stable," thedoctor said as he looked over at Mark but did not acknowledge him. Itwas like he was not even in the room, and he liked it that way. Marklooked down at the mother, and he could feel the brightness of themarking went back to normal.

'Your number will come again.'Mark could hear the voice ring loud and clear. He looked over at thechild once more and then walked out of the room and down the hallway.He stopped at the waiting room and sat Nicholas still in the room,pacing back and forth.

"No news?" Nicholas askedMark

"Nothing yet," Mark said as he leaned back in thechair and sat with Nicholas for a while.

"This is my first,"Nicholas started. "I am not sure if I am going to be a good father.My father was not the best role model." Mark nodded as he listened."My wife Michelle is better at the parenting stuff, I am sure. Sheis always the one that had everything she could want growing up."He said as he waved his hands as he talked, the nerve getting to himas he rubbed his sweaty hands against his jeans.

"Thatdoesn't make a good parent," Mark said, and Nicholas just looked athim. Mark could tell that he was not the best person in the world tohave a child, but the child was nowhere.

"I am sure yourright" He stopped and stared at the floor.

"Mr. Haynes?"A nurse stood at the door

"Yes," Nicholas stood up.

"Youhave a beautiful baby girl. Would you like to come back and meether?"

"Yes," Nicholas said as he looked over at Mark."Come meet my daughter," Mark stood up, and Nicholas followed thenurse, and then Mark kept his distance but followed Nicholas.Nicholas walked into the room, and Mark followed in shortly afterhim. Nicholas walked up to the baby lying in the bassinet. He gentlypulled the blanket down to see her face.

Mark stared at themother of the child who was staring out the window. Nicholas pickedup the child and cradled her into his arms. Mark stared at the child.Something was drawing him to her even more now than before. Nicholasbounced her gently as he moved around the blanket against herskin.

"You are so beautiful," Nicholas said, and Mark cameout of his daze as he changed his focus to Nicholas. "Come meet afriend," He said and walked over to Mark. Nicholas gently passedthe child to Mark. "Mark, meet my daughter, Vivian Haynes." Hesaid, and Vivian wiggled in Nicholas' hands as he passed her off toMark cuddled her as she snuggled right into his chest.

"Hello,Vivi," Mark whispered to her as he held her in his arms for thefirst time. He felt this strange pull even stronger to her. Markpushed the small amount of hair of her hair away from her face as hejust stared at her.

Mark walked out of the hospital on thefull moon night. The parking lot empty besides passing cars in thestreet. Mark got into the car and drove off into the night.

Markwalked into his house, seeing Blaze playing a video game. He screamedgibberish into the headset as spiky hair shifted back and forth as hewobbled his head as he jumped up and down on the couch, pushing thepillows all over the floor. He slammed his fist with anger on thecoffee table in front of him. His eyes were glowing red with anger ashe played the shooting game. Mark walked into the kitchen and grabbedhimself a beer.

"Good Night, Mark," Randall said as Marklooked at him with a smile. "I heard you did not complete yourmission tonight." He said his hair gray and his eyes dark andknowledgeable. He was the older man that Mark knew.

"Tonightwas different." He sat down and opened his beer and started to tellRandall all about it. "I walked into the room, and of course, noone can see me, and there I stood staring to take the women's life...feeling her life starting to slip away when she gives birth to thisbaby girl. She has a round face, red/auburn hair with light blueeyes, and full lips. I can see her in my head... talking to me atdifferent moments of her life. Of course, that is not what I amlooking at. I see the naked newborn covered in goo with nurses anddoctors rushing around." Randall nodded his head, and Markcontinued, "I then get the call telling me her number will bepicked again and to leave, but I didn't." He paused, taking a bigsip of his beer. "I went back out to the waiting area, which I havebeen speaking to a man earlier who happens to be her father. Now, Ican tell you this man is not the father of year material, but he theninvites meet the child." He finished his beer and got up, placingit on the sink counter. "I have no idea why I did that. It was likethe newborn was calling me."

"Sounds like you finallyimprinted."

"I didn't imprint," Mark said as he closedthe refrigerator door with his leg, another beer in hand.

"Youdid," Randall said, "You can not say the child name; you see herin a future way before her time."

"I can say her name,"Mark said, cutting off Randall.

"What is it?"

"Vivi,"He said and took a drink of his beer.

"That is anickname."

"Yeah, that is the name that I will call her,but her name is Vivian," Mark said, and Randall just shook hishead. Mark sat down and took several sips of his beer, and Blazecontinued to scream at the TV. Mark looked over hisshoulder.

"Blaze! You remember when you imprint on Hailey?"Randall yelled into the living room

"Yeah, I didn't completemy mission. I can describe her down to a "T," and I hadvisions... oh the visions," Blaze's voice trailed off as he starteddown that path in his mind one more. Randall smiled at Mark andnodded his head.

"See you imprinted," Randall said, andMark took another sip of his beer. "I can't wait to see what thefuture can hold. I have been down this path before. She is a childright now... I am would just see if she is going to keep the visionor if she will lose it."

"This is too deep," Mark saidas he picked up his beer and headed into his room. He closed thecurtain blocking out the light as he turned around and turn on theside lamp. He took another big drink of his beer and placed it downon the side table next to his bed. The room looked cold, made inshades of gray and black. There were no designs on the wall, just atan color. There were no photos on the wall or on the desk that satin the one corner. It was like he didn't even live here, but this washis room. He flopped down on the bed. He closed his eyes and the onlything that he could see if Vivian and see her face dancing in hishead. He moans as he turned around to face the wall. "Randall isnot right. I did not imprint on Vivian," Mark thought to himself ashe tried to get comfortable in bed.

"What a disaster thatwas!" Blaze screamed as he ran over to Mark, who was wiping off hishands.

"I do enjoy the challenge, but this guy just wouldn'tgive up," Mark said, a bit out of breath as his long trench coatfloated behind him from the wind. Blaze bounced around as he listenedto Mark.

"Is your list done?" Blaze said, and Mark lookedover the field car laded across it like small toys a child wasplaying with.

"Yeah," Mark said and looked over at Blaze."Hailey, the one you imprinted on, Is she the same one I seen youwith from time to time?"

"Yes," He said almost in aslithering way. "Why are you asking?" He paused and finally satdown next to the man's body that laid on the side of the road. "Areyou going to go see her again?" He played with his hands making himgive Mark the middle finger, and laughed.

"I am thinkingabout it." He paused, "I want to make sure everything is okay."He paused again and fixed his black biker glove. "You know, just incase."

"You don't need to fib to me. I know that feeling."He stood up and wiped some blood on his jeans. "You can't describeit, but everything seems to be in place when you see her."

"Yeah,I guess that is the best way to describe it."

"Go seeher," he chuckled. "I see Hailey often." He said, and he lookedup at the night sky. "See, this world, there is plenty of places tohide, and if there is not a hiding spot... you just make the mortalsbelieve the place is haunted."

"That is messed up," Marksaid to Blaze as he chuckled a bit at him.

"Hey, you weregiven this power for a reason. Why waste it?" He paused and lookedat Mark, who fixed the black large brim hat on his head. "I haveone more stop, and then I am heading home. See you there."

"Yeah,later," Mark said as he watches with a flash Blaze disappeared intothe night.

Mark stood outside of a house. The house lookedlike a typical single home with yellow siding. There was a big treein the front yard, bushes and flower beds that have not been tendedto in years, and grass that was just high enough to keep the patternof people's footprints. The house looked run down. He could see thelight on in a second-floor bedroom. He wasn't too sure if that wasthe room he was looking for, but there was no way to tell from outhere. He walked closer to the house and could hear a TV on veryloudly through the door. "This is easier than I thought," Marksaid as he slid through the door to see Nicholas sitting on a bluesofa drinking a beer and watching the news. The living room wasfilled with items that should have been thrown away. He walked up thestairs that were next to the kitchen, which looked freshly cleaned upfrom dinner.

Mark could hear the singing of a female as hereached the top. There in the room with the light on was Michellerocking to sleep the small Vivian. She was bigger now, her red haircoming in and his eyes big and blue like the ocean. Mark smiled as hetook in more and more of her features. She was growing up, and hefelt so proud of her. He walked closed into the room as he stood atthe door. Vivian turned her head as her mother fed her a bottle. Shelooked right at him like he was there. He couldn't really tell if shecould see him or not. There was so much of this world he didn't know.This child was looking at him. Her hand flopped around her side asshe drank and kicked her legs. Michelle is trying to calm her down.She finally finished feeding Vivian and started to get her ready tobe put in the crib.

Michelle walked close to Mark, and hebacked up into the door. The door moved and hit the wall. Michellestopped and stared at the door, wondering if she was too close to itthat it moved. Mark froze, unsure how close he really was to the dooranymore. He didn't want to leave yet. He wanted to hold Vivian in hisarms once more. Michelle sighed and then kissed Vivian on theforehead and put her into her crib. Vivian looked up at Michelle asshe spoke to her "Goodnight, my angel," She said to her, and thenshe turned around and turned off the overhead light leaving just asmall light on next to the window. Michelle closed the door most ofthe way as she left. Mark could feel the warmth pass him.

Hestood at the edge of the crib and leaned over to see Vivian. Hereached down, and she wrapped her fingers around his finger as hesmiled and ran his hand against her head brushing her hair away fromher face. He picked her up as gently as he could. This was somethingnew for him. Vivian cooed and made some bubbling noises at him as hesmiled. "Hello, beautiful Vivi. How are you doing?" He paused,almost hoping she would talk back to him, "I am doing well. You aresuch a polite little girl" He had a conversation with her as heheld her and bounced her around the room. She was shortly asleep inhis arms. He could not believe it. He tried to place her down gently,taking in one last scent of her. Her scent was unlike anything in hisworld. He smiled and placed her down. He ran his hand against heronce more and looked out the window, and off he went.

Randallsat out front on his rocking chair, just like the old man that hewas. Mark looked up to see him as he arrived. "Good night, Randall.Is Blaze already here?"

"No, which means this is the onlytime there is peace in the house." Randall tilted his head andsmoked his pipe. Mark took a deep breathtaking in the cherry scent."You went to go see her."

"Yeah" He paused and walkedonto the pouch, taking a seat on the stairs and leaning up againstthe house. His trench coat flowed on the steps as he got himselfcomfortable, his jeans bunching a small amount of light off his blackattire. Randall made a small moaning noise, which Mark was sure thatmeant that he was thinking. "There is something about her that justcalms me down."

"Mark, I have been down this road before.It doesn't end well for anyone." He paused, and Mark looked up athim

"She is a child." Mark said with a big sigh in hisvoice

"I know," Randall said, "Look, just take theadvice from the old man here." He laughed at himself, and so madeMark.

"I am noting your advice, but in the meantime. I thinkI will still hang around her."

"Do it after you finishyour list because you know what will happen if you are behind. Theboss will double your work." Randall gave him a look, and Mark madea face, not wanting to hear it. "How is she?" He finally said,changing the subject.

"Beautiful, peaceful, innocent." Hepaused. "Her red hair is still prominent, and her eyes are bluelike the sea. She doesn't fear me." He paused once more, "Or atleast not yet."

"There might be a time that she does."Randall puffed his pipe a big long drag.

"I will have tocross that bridge, but I am hoping that she isn't. That she keepsopen to me seeing her." He paused and started to think of the daysthat he would interact with her, talk to her, learn about her. Hesighed a bit but did not want to rush father time. Father time wasnever going to be on his side, but he did make it a habit that oncehis list of names was crossed out, he would go back and see Viviansleeping in her rooms most nights. Vivian was growing up, and Markwanted to make sure that he was going to see her as much as hecould.

A small little girl with red hair played in the yard.She wore gray sweatpants and a sweatshirt top. She played with theleaves that fell from the tree. She giggled and laughed as she threwthem up into the air. Mark smiled to himself as he watched from adistance. He wanted to go over to her, introduce himself to her. Shewas innocent yet. She was not changed by society or her parents. Thewind blew, and her red hair pushed into her face covering her eyesfor a moment. The laughter stopped as she pushed her hair back fromher face pushing some of the dirt onto her cheeks. Her blue eyesopened and stared over at Mark. She stopped her hands, falling to theside as she tilted her head to one side and then the other. It waslike she was studying him.

Mark could hear two adults yellingat each other from a distance. He could tell it must be somethingcommon since the fight seemed old and routine, saying back and forth.He looked over at the house and then at Vivian. He paused, not payingattention to anything else. He didn't move. Just stood there, hishands in his pockets, unsure if he could walk over to her or not.Would he scare her if he walked over there? What does she see himas?

"Vivian! Vivian!" A female called to her from the doorof the house. Vivian looked over at her and then back at Mark."Vivian, get in here and cleaned up for dinner!" The little girllooked at Mark once more and then ran to her mother.

"MyVivian," He said softly to himself as he watched the door closebehind the two of them. Mark stared at the door for a little and thenlooks down at the ground.

Randall walked up to the porch andsat down next to Mark on the rocking chair. "Good Night Mark. Howswere your list?"

Mark rubbed his chin and looked over atRandall. "It was a normal night."

"What has you deep inthought?" Randall asked as he took out his pipe and lit itup.

"Nothing, I am just thinking about Vivian."

"Isshe okay?" Randall asked as he took a big puff and started to rockthe chair.

"She is fine, but I have seen tonight how muchher parents should not be parents."

"You can't changethat." Randall said as he took another puff, "You can just bethere and guide her in the correct way."

"Is that what youdid with Monika?"

"Monika," Randall said her name softlyas he began to take another puff on his pipe. He has not spoken hername in such a long time since that night. That night he vowed tohimself never to go down that path again. Here he was going to giveadvice to Mark about something that is going to hurt.

"Randall?"

"Iam sorry." He paused and looked over and patted Mark's back, "Yoube there for her, keep her safe, and guide her the best you can."Mark nodded his head and just sat back as he knew an unspoken rulethat was in the house for years was not to bring up Monika.

Vivianplayed on the swing set at the park. She slid down the slide and ranover to the swing and flopped on her stomach on it, and swing backand forth. Mark stood back from the group of children playing on theswing set. He noticed that not many of the kids were really playingwith Vivian, but she seems to be content with that. He looked aroundto see if her mother or father was around and didn't notice anyone.Vivian ran over to a sandbox and started to play with the sand. Markwalked over to Vivian and bent down to talk to her.

"Hellothere, Vivian. My name is Mark. Can I play with you?" He asked asshe looked up at him, noticing his long black hair and green eyes.She tilted her head a little as she studied him and then shook herhead yes. Mark took a seat and started to play with her as they triedto build a castle. "If we used the sand at the beach, we could makea castle with no problem."

"Yeah," She said to him inher small little voice. Mark smiled as he continued to talk to Vivianabout anything just to get her to talk. He didn't know how long shewas playing with her, but he felt complete being aroundher.

"Vivian! Come on; it is time to go." Michelle yelledto her as she stood at the bottom of the hill.

"I must go,"She said to Mark, and he stopped and looked at her as she stood upand began to wipe the sand off of herself.

"Who is that?"Mark asked as he looked over and knew who the woman was, but wassurprised that she would just stand there and yell for her to come.He would think that she would have walked over to her and come gether.

"That is my mom," She said to Mark as she looked athim and flung herself to him. "Bye," She said to him and wrappedher arms around his neck and hugged him before she ran off to hermother, who was waiting for her.

"Come, let's get dinner,"Michelle said as she took her hand and put her in the car. "Whowere you talking to in the sandbox." She asked since she has seenthat Vivian was talking to herself as she was brushing off thesand.

"My friend," She said as she wiggled as she buckledherself up into the backseat. She looked up at her mother sitting infront of her in the mirror.

"Who is your friend?" Sheasked as she pulled out of the space that she was parked in.

"Mark,"She said, giggling to herself as she looked out the window and wavedat Mark. Mark stood far enough away to just watch Vivian and hermother leave.

Michelle pulled up to the house and mumbledunder her breath something as she put the car in park. She turnedaround and looked at Vivian. "I need you to go into the house andgo right upstairs and go wash up for dinner."

"Yes,Mommy," She said as she struggled a bit to get the seat belt off.Vivian got it off of her and opened the car door. She jumped out ofthe car and closed it with her two hands, and ran into the house.Michelle sat for just a bit longer and then got out of the car andheaded into the house.

"Your late!" Nicholas yelled at herfrom the living room. "Where is dinner?"

"I am gettingstarted on it right now," Michelle said as she walked into thekitchen as took off her coat. She quickly got out dinner items in thekitchen.

Vivian quietly walked down the stairs at the top andcould see her father got up from the sofa and headed into thekitchen. "You know I want my dinner done when I come home fromwork!" He screamed at her with a bottle of beer in his hand.

"Iam sorry I wanted to take Vivian to the park. I lost track of time."Michelle said as she tried to hurry up and get dinner together.

"Iam the reason why you have this house and this food, and when I gethome, I want dinner" on the table; he screamed at her and picked upand threw a pot at her. Michelle said nothing just dodged the potfrom hitting her. "Get this shit together!" He screamed ather

"Lower your voice. Vivian will hear you," Michelletried to tell him.

"She needs to hear me and understand whois the boss in this house," He said and looked over at the stairsto see Vivian's run up the steps. "I am not going to have anotherfemale in this house disrespect me!" He screamed as he turned andstarted to head to the stairs.

"No, no," Michelle screamedat Nicholas as she ran around the counter to get between him and thestaircase. "She is just a child. She wants to know what ishappening" She tried to tell him, and he was not having it.Nicholas grabbed Michelle's arms and stood her up in front of himjust to smack her across the face.

"Shut-up, you stupidbitch. You are always defending her," He screamed at her as shegrabbed onto her face, not shedding a tear. He swallowed the last bitof his beer and put the glass bottle down. He grabbed his coat, andout the door, he went.