Fanon:An Old Goth's Tale

An Old Goth's Tale is a fanfiction about the Goth family, but focused on Mortimer Goth, written by WayfinderOwl. The idea came to the author, when she couldn't sleep one night.

It follows the last few years of Mortimer Goth's life, while he watches his children grow and make their own way into the world, and himself come to terms with Bella's disappearance.

Chapter I: Alone By The Fire
"Love," the elderly Mortimer Goth told himself, as he swirled wine around in the glass he held, "is like a bottle of wine. One sip, and it is all you want to drink. After the whole bottle, it has ensnared your senses. Nothing makes sense any more."

Alone in the dark drawing room, only lit by the glow of the fireplace, Mortimer was left to his thoughts. Many thoughts swirled around in his mind, not unlike the wine in the glass.

Redundant, was a word that he often thought about. It fit him quite nicely. "Redundant," muttered Mortimer, as the wine the colour of blood slithered from the glass into his open mouth. His children no longer needed him. Cassandra was already grown up, and engaged to that Lothario boy. Alexander was already knowledgeable beyond his years, and out grew his dear old father many years ago.

Then there was Bella. Oh, sweet Bella. Beautiful and wonderful Bella. Where she went would remain a mystery. Why she left would be a mystery. Yet the word 'mystery' often sprung to mind when he thought of her. Mysterious and beautiful, was the olive skinned girl that he had known since he was depressed little boy living in Sunset Valley.

Time, it seemed, wasn't Mortimer's friend at all. He had so little of it left, yet since his retirement, it was all he had.

Listening to the bumps and thuds, that implied that Alexander had come home after an evening of stargazing in the part. Mortimer never did believe that excuse. A part of him hoped that his son was sneaking out to see a girl, but not the more obvious conclusion that Alexander was doing the homework of his classmates so they wouldn't beat him up.

Mortimer decided that he was just a reminiscing old fool, that had stayed up way too long. Just as he was about to ease himself out of the armchair, he heard someone come in. His heart skipped a beat. For a second, through the darkness, he thought he saw his beloved Bella, but it was his daughter Cassandra. She had let her hair down, while she prepared for bed. How much she looked like her mother.

"Wine again?" said Cassandra, giving him a disapproving glance. She lifted the half full - that was what she considered it rather than 'half empty'- bottle. "Oh, only half this time? Good to see that you're not planning on sleeping in your armchair tonight. You know what it does to your back."

"I know, I know," said Mortimer, moving his hand as if he was trying to brush away the nagging she had inflicted on him. Despite his moaning on about her nagging, and reminding her that he was in fact the parent, not her, he appreciated her concern.

Cassandra was right. He would be much better off going to sleep in his own bed, rather than staying in his armchair mentally torturing himself about things he couldn't change.

Sleep wouldn't come to him. Weary and alone, Mortimer stared through the darkness. The light of the moon and the stars shone through the gap in the curtains. He could see the portrait of Bella hanging above his bed.

"Good night, Bella," muttered Mortimer, as he closed his eyes.

He waited for sleep to come. His breathing became slower. Mortimer had drifted off to sleep, to be in a world of dreams where he wasn't so old, and Bella wasn't so mysteriously disappeared. He could be a grumpy Goth, living in an old house that time forgot, with his beautiful gothic wife.