Disclaimer:   All American Gothic characters are property of Shaun 
Cassidy etc.  All original characters are property of the author and 
may not be used in any other story without her permission.

Summary:  It's been 20 years since we last saw Trinity. Things have 
changed for Lucas, and there are more changes ahead.


Family Tree
By Krystyna Brzezinski
<barstow2@globaldialog.com>

Part 1


	A brown haired, Blake Healy kept driving as the rain began to 
pour. He peered into the mirror to see how she was doing. The doctor 
said she had lost a lot of blood and considering what had happened, 
was handling the shock well.
	Jessica Buck slept the rest of the way home, at least she tried to.  
She had dug out of her duffel bag a navy blue sweatshirt to keep her 
warm. The doctor said she was well enough to travel as long as she 
went to see the local doctor the day or the day after she returned. 
	 Blake was an angel, she'd be dead if it wasn't for him.						
* * * * * * * * * *

	Gail, dressed in blue jeans and T-shirt, ran her fingers through 
her graying hair as she sat by the telephone, waiting. She expected that 
type of phone call concerning Lucas, or Caleb for that matter, but her 
own daughter? 
	Gail had been trying to reach Lucas and Caleb since Blake 
called to tell her what had happened.  Needless to say, she hadn't 
gotten much sleep the past few days.

* * * * * * * * * *

	It was about 6 am when Blake hit the outskirts of Trinity. 
When he called his parents to say that he and Jesse would be coming 
home from college, Ben and Rita were thrilled. Then Blake told them 
why and the happiness faded.
	Jess' glazed over brown eyes popped open as soon as they 
passed the "Welcome to Trinity" sign. 
	"Blake you've been driving for almost 10 straight hours. Why 
don't you bunk at the Buck mansion for a few hours?" she said sitting 
up in the back seat of the car.
	He rubbed his hazel eyes and responded, "Sorry, hon, not this 
time. Mom's shift is just about finished at the hospital so I thought I 
would pick her up so she doesn't have to bike home."
	Blake pulled in front of the infamous Buck mansion just as it 
began to rain even harder. Jesse put her blue ball cap on her auburn 
hair and gathered up her duffel bag as he climbed out and put the 
umbrella up. She reached for her book bag in the front seat and 
squirmed as the pain of her bandaged ribs shot through her chest.
	Gail ran out under her umbrella as Blake helped her out of 
the car. "Mrs. Buck, will you make sure that she doesn't study, 
but rest?" he said nodding towards the book bag. 
	"Count on it," said Gail as they helped Jessica inside.

* * * * * * * * * *

	She woke up around noon that day. Her eyes panned the 
room to see the posters of wolves, tigers, dragons and unicorns. 
Slowly and quietly she got out of bed and headed for the door.
	Upon opening the door she poked her head around the 
corner and heard her mother in the kitchen. She was feeling much 
better then she had been these past few days, she figured it was 
time to get some of her schoolwork done. So off she went, sneaking 
down the stairs, hunting for her book bag.

* * * * * * * * * *

	Gail caught Jesse with her English text book open on her 
lap. "Young lady," she scolded. "You are supposed to be resting." 
Gail moved the folders on the bed and sat down. 
	"I'm fine, really," Jess replied. 
	"The doctor said you lost a lot of blood and you need rest to 
build your strength up. I've made an appointment with Doc Trey, 
the new doctor in town, for later today."

* * * * * * * * * *

	The phone rang just as they were about to walk out the door. 
"Caleb? Where have you been? I have been trying to reach you...Good, 
see you then." Gail hung up, turned to Jesse, and said, "Come on, 
we don't need to be late."

* * * * * * * * * *

	Caleb had turned out to be his father's son.  He hadn't 
changed much, except for the fact he's a little taller and a deputy. 
He turned on the radio and tuned into a news station. 
	The D.J.'s voice came on and said, "The notorious Nickel 
and Dime killer is in custody after attacking another college student. 
The student's name is not being released until all family members 
are notified. This student endured serious knife wounds to their 
body and is alive today after another student came to their aide."
	 He snapped the knob off and drove home with an uneasy 
feeling in his stomach.

* * * * * * * * * *

	"Stop worrying, I'm fine," sighed Jess in the office. 
	"Merlin, I will not stop worrying. Besides, your father is 
going to hit the ceiling when he finds out..."
	"Ladies..." the door to the office opened and in walked a 
young black hair doctor. 
	His brown eyes sparkled when he sat on the desk.
	"Your cell count is slowly coming back up to normal levels. 
Considering what has happened, I'm surprised you are still alive." 
Doc Trey sat on the desk. "At this time I see no reason to start her 
on medication for that, but I am going to give her something for the 
pain and I want her to rest."
	Gail shooed her upstairs as soon as they got home. A few 
minutes later, Gail collected all of her school work, except her history 
text book and notes. "When you finish, no more. I'll be in the study if 
you need me."
	Caleb seemed to burst through the door a few hours later. 
"Where's Lucas?" were the first words out of Gail's mouth when 
Caleb appeared in the doorway. 
	"He's finishin' up, should be at the police station by now." 
His eyes narrowed, "Does this have anything to do with Jess bein' 
home?"

* * * * * * * * * *

	Lucas Buck walked into the sheriff's station and straight into 
his office. Upon opening the door he caught Ben behind his desk, 
organizing folders. 
	Ben swallowed hard, "Hi, hi, Lucas, I was just, umm, giving 
you my report on what happened since you and Caleb have been 
gone."
	"Why thank you, Ben," said Lucas sitting on his desk and 
running his fingers through his dark hair. "Have you heard from 
Blake lately?"
	Ben stopped in his tracks and swallowed hard. "You mean 
Gail wasn't able to tell you?"
	Lucas eyed Ben, "Tell me what, Ben?"
	Healy shook his head and said, "Blake and Jessica had a 
problem." 
	Lucas nodded as if to say "Go on..."
	"You know that crazy that's in the news lately? The one 
that's attacking people?" Ben paused, "He got Jess as she walked 
home from one of her night classes. She lost a lot of blood, the docs 
said that if Blake hadn't been there, she'd be dead."
	Lucas was speechless. He couldn't believe it, his only 
daughter attacked. 
	"They caught him." 
	Lucas took a deep breath and sat there in silence. 
	"Lucas, I'm sorry. I got the call from Blake a few days ago. 
Said the colleges was goin' let  them come home. The docs said that 
it would be the best thing,"  finished Ben.	
	"How's Blake handling this?" asked Lucas getting off his desk. 
	"He's fine Lucas, just got a few cuts on his arm from that nut, 
that's all." 
	Lucas smiled and slapped Ben on the back. "That's good.  
If you need me, I'll be at home." 

* * * * * * * * * *

	J. Nickolas was laying on his bunk, picking at the scratches 
on his face that he got during the attack, when a guard came for him. 
Nickolas was a tall, muscular man with green eyes and short red hair. 
The guard said nothing as he was lead into a small room, waiting in the
room was a man he'd never seen before.
	The man had short, dirty, blond hair, and blue eyes with a 
muscular build. Nikolas sat across the table from the man and neither 
man spoke. After about 5 minutes the blond hair man left the room.  
Nickolas was lead out, then a few hours later he was found dead in 
his cell.

* * * * * * * * * *

	Gail was waiting at the front door when Lucas came home. 
"Lucas...." Gail's words fell on deaf ears. "Lucas, she's finally asleep." 
He headed for the stairs, as she grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare 
wake her."
	Lucas opened Jesse's door and peeked in. She had fallen 
asleep with her history work at the bottom of her bed. Lucas 
scanned the room and saw Caleb asleep in a chair to the right of 
her bed. 
	Sensing his father's presence, Caleb's left eye opened, then 
the right one. He stretched, then quietly got up and kissed her on the 
forehead. "She's fine, don't worry." he said to Lucas, after closing the 
door. 

* * * * * * * * * *

	The darkness followed her. "Run," panted Jesse as she leaned 
against a tree for the moment. She began to run through the trees, but 
the darkness still swallowed her. She heard foot steps behind her 
coming closer.
	She reached the clearing and saw a cemetery. Looking around 
she saw a raven sitting on a headstone. She was barely able to make it 
out, "Ann Buck..."  the raven then began to caw at something behind her.
	 She looked behind her, seeing nothing she turned back around. 
The raven was gone and in its place was a dark looming figure. The 
figure's arms reached and began to strangle her. The headstone began 
to bleed and moan as the figure choked her. She saw blood on the 
arms of the figure, and felt blood around her neck as a bright light 
appeared to the left of the figure. 

	"No!" she sat up with a start. She took a few deep breaths, 
turned on her small lamp on her night stand, got out of bed and 
headed for her dresser mirror. 
	She smiled as she looked at the small photo of Merlin the 
magician she had place in the corner. Merlin had been her nickname 
since high school. So named because she could always cram for a 
test the night before and pull a passing grade. Her father wasn't too 
crazy about the nickname, but he tolerated it.
	 "Nothing," she sighed with relief as she inspected her neck. 
She began to paw through the top drawer looking for her brush and 
pick. After a few strokes through her hair, she looked into the mirror 
again. 
	Her reflection wasn't the only one in the mirror. Merlyn Temple 
stared at her through the mirror. Startled Jesse turned around slowly. 
"M-M-Merlyn?" 
	Merlyn Temple was not behind her, but when she looked 
back into the mirror she was gone. She heard a voice echo, 
"Someone's at the door....."

* * * * * * * * * *

	Downstairs the doorbell rang. Lucas jumped from his chair in 
the study and headed for the door. A man was standing on the other 
side of the door. He had a long black drifter coat and dirty blond hair 
with cold blue eyes, it was the same man who went to visit Nickolas.
	"Jared?" Lucas hollered. "Son of a gun, it is you!" Jared Buck 
stepped through the threshold and stuck out his hand to Lucas. 
	"Who is it Lucas?" called Gail from the kitchen. Caleb emerged 
from the study moments later.
	Lucas was grinning ear to ear. "Caleb, this is your uncle Jared," 
pronounced Lucas. 
           "Nice to meet ya." said Caleb shaking hands with Jared.
	Gail came out of the kitchen and was introduced to Jared. 
"Mrs. Buck." Jared kissed Gail's hand.

* * * * * * * * * *

	She heard voices coming from downstairs. A chill went through 
her body as she finished slipping into a pair of blue jeans. The door to 
her room closed behind her as she quietly stepped into the hallway.
	 The hallway was cold, at least she thought so, staring at the 
gathering downstairs. She felt the vibes from her parents and Caleb, 
but nothing from this man, and that worried her. Her feet stayed glued to 
the floor as she watched.

* * * * * * * * * *

	Lucas looked up and saw her standing there, staring at Jared. 
	"Jessica."  
	She cringed as her father said that. 
	"Jessica Ann, come down stairs and meet your Uncle Jared." 
He frowned. 
	She headed downstairs before he said anything more.
	She stuck out her hand and said, "Please to meet you, Uncle 
Jared." He took her hand and the moment he did she a chill swept 
through her body, and her dream flashed back into her mind.
	The figure from her dreams, now had a face.  Jared.
	"I would like to stay," she lied, "but I am in need of fresh 
air."  She kissed Lucas on the cheek, grabbed a black sweater from 
the hall closet and headed out. 
	 After she had left Jared turned to Lucas and said, "She 
reminds me of Ann." 
	Lucas smiled and said, "She does, doesn't she?" 

* * * * * * * * * *

	She stopped walking all of a sudden, when a bright light 
appeared in front of her. Jess looked around to see a wooded area, 
like in her dream surrounded her. The light took form of Merlyn Temple.
	"Please leave me be," said Jess. 
	Merlyn shook her head. "I can't do that." 
	Jess put her hands on her hips and said, "Well, Merlyn 
Temple, I thought you hated all Bucks."
	Merlyn shook her head. "I don't." 
	Jesse turned to walk away, when a car drove by with the 
radio blasting, the local D.J.'s voice echoed in the air. 
	"The Nickel and Dime killer has been found dead in his cell.  
Authorities are not releasing details, as of yet, we will keep you informed."
	"What?" Jesse leaned against a tree. 	
	"Jared?" she asked of Merlyn. 
	"Yes." 
	Jesse shook her head, "Why?" 
	Merlyn came closer and said, "Because of who you are. A 
female Buck. The powers you posses are more powerful then any 
male Buck."
	"What powers?" she asked, glaring and folding her arms across 
her chest. 
	The sky began to darken as the wind began to howl around them.
	"You close doors without touching them, turn lights on and off, 
not to mention how you escaped that madman...."
	"Blake did it.  I had nothing to do with that." 
	Before anymore was said, lighting split a tree in half and it came 
tumbling towards them.  Jessica just looked at  the tree and it stopped in 
mid air long enough for Jesse to move.
	With that a bright light surrounded her and engulfed her.			


End of Part 1

* * * * * * * * * *	

Part 2


	"I don't like this, Lucas," the blond little girl said. "It's really 
getting dark, remember what they said about being out in the dark?" 
She snuggled closer to a boy with short brown hair.
	"If you're goin' act this way you can just go home," spoke 
up another boy with short blond hair, jumping on the metal train bridge.
	"No way, Jared Buck. I ain't scared." she climbed onto 
the bridge as she said that.
	Young Lucas shook his head as he looked over the bridge 
and swallowed hard at the long way down.

* * * * * * * * * *	

	Jessica Buck stood a few feet from the bridge, 
dumbfounded. "What's going on?" she asked Merlyn.
	"Watch."

* * * * * * * * * *

	"Let's go, Ann," Lucas said, pulling himself onto the 
bridge. "Ann." He reached out to grab her as Jared pulled her back 
towards him.
	"She's gonna stay here," Jared told Lucas.					
	"No, it ain't safe," Lucas argued.						
	"I want to stay." Ann's gray eyes filled with the excitement 
of saying no to Lucas.
	"No." Lucas protested.
	"Lucas go home." Jared's tone was stern.					
	"FINE!" yelled Lucas walking away.						
	Jared grinned as he watched him leave.

* * * * * * * * * *

	Jessica watched as young Lucas walked away.  "Don't 
leave her..." she whispered.

* * * * * * * * * *

	Ann watched Lucas walk away and she suddenly got 
very frightened.  "Lucas! Wait for me!"  Ann called trying to get 
down from the bridge.
	Lucas turned around in time to see Jared push her from the 
bridge.

* * * * * * * * * *

	Ann's scream sent chills through Jessica's body. She looked 
at Jared, then she saw the horrified look on Lucas' face. 
	"That's not going to happen to me." Jessica mumbled.

* * * * * * * * * *

	Merlin Buck awoke the next day to voices in the kitchen.  
She climbed out bed, which was apparently the wrong way, 
because her ribs began to ache. Shaking off the pain she gathered 
up her clothes for the day and headed for the shower.

* * * * * * * * * *

	"She lives!" mumbled Gail as the sound of the shower was 
heard downstairs.
	Lucas smiled, "What time did she get in last night?"
	"Around 2 am." Gail answered.	
	"Is that what the hollering was about?" Caleb spoke up.				
	"You two had a fight last night?" Lucas' curiosity was sparked.
	"Yep." was all Gail said.

* * * * * * * * * *

	Twenty minutes later Jess was dressed in her normal 
"uniform" as Blake called it, a pair of blue jeans and a snarling 
white wolf tee shirt.
	"Where do you think you're going young lady?" Gail's tone 
from her doorway was almost frightening.		
	"Out for some fresh air and studying." she replied.
	"No."
	"What do you mean no?"
	"You are supposed to rest." Gail said.
	"I cannot stay cooped up at home, I'll go crazy. Besides, I 
have finals..." Jessica grabbed her book bag and headed towards 
her mother.
	"I mean it. No." Gail moved away from the doorway.
	"I mean this too." Merlin got through the threshold and 
closed the door on her mother.
	"JESSICA ANN BUCK!" yelled Gail coming out of the room.
	"What?!" Jessica yelled towards at Gail as she came down 
the stairs. 

* * * * * * * * * *

	"Oh boy." Lucas had heard the commotion between his two 
ladies and waited until the best time to interject.
	"You might want to step in now before somethin' happens," 
suggested Caleb.
	"Good idea. We don't need anymore blood shed in the house." 
smiled Lucas heading for the front of the house.	

* * * * * * * * * *

	Merlyn Temple appeared at the top of the stairs to watch the show.
	"Ladies......" Lucas walked right into the middle of the 
problem.
	"She's definitely your daughter Lucas, she's as pig headed 
about things as you are." Gail shouted.
	"Excuse me?" Lucas was surprised.
	"Pig headed?"  Jessica and Lucas repeated in unison.
	Merlin's eyes narrowed. "That's it, I'm going out before I 
say something I'll regret later."
 	"No you're not!"
	"The hell I am!"
	"Jessica, do not talk to your mother like that." injected Lucas.
	"Over my dead body, the doctor said...." Gail shot back.
	"The doctor said she needs some R and R. She ain't getting 
that with you two hollerin' at each other." put in Lucas.
	"What do you mean by that?" hollered Gail.
	"I mean that staying locked up in this house won't do the 
girl any good if she can't move around." argued Lucas
	Gail threw her arms up in the air and headed for the kitchen.
	Lucas caught his daughter's arm and said, "Go study, I'll try 
to smooth things over."

* * * * * * * * * *

	"Bad day?" asked a smiling Blake.	
	"What gave it away?" grumbled Jess staring at the clear blue 
water behind him.
	"Gee let me think...The look of murder in your eyes."
	"Give the man a prize." she teased.
	"Seriously, what happened?"
"My mother got mad, ‘cause she didn't hear me come in last 
night."
	Blake smiled. "It’s that mother thing again."	
	"Changing subjects, have you told your parents yet?"
	Blake frowned. "Yes."
	"So what happened?"
	"Well, Mom hit the ceiling and Dad was very calm about the 
whole thing."
	"So they have no problem with you being a cop?"
	"Nope. And Dad's actually very excited to be coming to 
graduation ceremony in a few days."
	"When will you be leaving?"
	"As soon as Dad talks to Lucas."

* * * * * * * * * *

	"Why sure Ben!"  The happy reaction wasn't exactly what 
Ben had in mind.
	"Are ya sure?"
	"Of course Ben, would I deny you this moment?" asked Lucas.
	"Thanks Lucas..." Ben said.	

* * * * * * * * * *

	"Mom?" Gail turned her head towards the door of the 
newspaper office. "Are you still mad at me?"
	Gail smiled, "No, I'm not."
	Jessica smiled, "Good, then can we talk?"
	"About what?"
	"Girl talk?"

* * * * * * * * * *

	DeeDee Williams frowned as she looked out her window 
of her college dorm. "It’s a media frenzy out there." she said. Jessica 
had been her roommate for the last 2 years of college, Dee never 
imagined anything like that could happen to someone close to her.
	The local papers and TV stations had been going crazy since 
word had leaked out that the only surviving victim of the "Nickel 
and Dime Killer," was a student here. It wouldn't be long before 
the national papers and TV stations would come around, and they 
would be the ones to find out about Jessica.
	She had received a call from her father in New York, 
earlier in the day, concerning the final chapter of Merlin's murder 
mystery. DeeDee had faxed the chapter to him, and he was very 
serious about publishing the book during the call. 

* * * * * * * * * *

	"I really didn't think you had a full course load. Spanish, 
English, English Literature, Sociology,  Biology, Art, Algebra, 
Physical Ed. and World History, US History and Gothic Literature." 
Gail commented as she grabbed the last piece of paper from the 
newspaper's fax machine, the following day.
	"Don't forget I'm coeditor of the newspaper." Jessica added.
	"Right. I find it hard to believe they are going to let you take 
finals at home."
	"I guess they figure with all the media around, I wouldn't be 
able to get the study time in." 
	"So what do you want to start with?" Gail asked shuffling 
the papers.
	"Surprise me." joked Merlin.
	"Algebra." She put the test down in front of her daughter. 
"One hour and forty five minutes from now."



End of Part 2