Chapter 95: Promise

  Warning: Language



  Julia sped through the corners at 130 mph, her mother would have said recklessly, but Julia knew every curve on this road, she had been down it many times, so, for her, it was controlled speed.

  Her mother feared that Julia had a death wish, but she didn't, Julia just loved the thrum of the engine beneath her, the wind in her hair, and the adrenaline surge from watching life pass by in mere seconds.

  It reminded her that she was still alive.

  The only thing better than riding her Ninja, was diving.  Under the water was incredibly peaceful, not to mention beautiful, and Julia was always finding knick knacks of some kind to sell to Bentley,  the local consignment shop owner.  Why people bought the stuff was beyond her, but it gave her something to do besides sit at home and twiddle her thumbs.

 

  She hated sitting still, it gave her too much time to think, and that was not a good thing.  She pulled up in front of a statue of Death, and shut her motorcycle off.  She jumped off of it, and started walking towards the back of the cemetery.  When she was younger, she would come out this way for some peace, and to smoke without getting any grief from her family.

  Now, she came out here every few months just to talk to him.  She knew Rian wasn't there, there hadn't even been a body to recover, but it made her feel better to have a place to come to, so she'd had a headstone placed with his name on it.

  Sometimes she would sit and say nothing at all, but most times she came to tell him about their daughter Bella, and how she was growing up so quickly.  She knew that he would have appreciated the irony that their daughter loved to shop, have tea parties, and read books.

  Books. Of-all-the-things.  Julia was sure that must have come from Rian's side of the family.  

  His space was well tended, she paid someone to keep it that way, keep the moss off it, branches, or anything else.  Rian was a neat and orderly person, it just seemed wrong whenever things were messy or overgrown.

  "Hey Ri."   She sighed, and placed her head in her hands.  Her grumpa had been right, the pain did fade---in a way, but it had also changed her.  Whether for the better or for the worse, she didn't know yet.

 

  She ran her fingers over the roughened gravestone.  The sad thing was, she came here less and less often.  At first, shortly after Bella's birth, she had come nearly daily, and then weekly, and then monthly, and now?  It had been over four months since she had last come.

  Not that he would know the difference, he was gone.  She knew though.

  He had been gone almost three years now.  Three years, such a short time, and such a long time.  Three years was enough time for Julia to start to feel lonely, and that made her angry.  She didn't want to feel lonely; she didn't want to feel anything.

  "I wish you were here."  She sighed again.  "You should see Bella now, I think my mother has created a shopping monster.  In fact, I'm supposed to meet them at the boutique, can you even believe that word?  I'd just about rather shove ice picks under my fingernails, you know how much I love shopping, but Bella looks at me with those blue eyes of hers...and...I see you in her and I cave."  Julia chuckled sadly.  "Probably makes me a terrible mother right?  The fact that I can't tell my daughter no."

  There was no reply, other than the rustling of the leaves, of course there wasn't a reply, she didn't even know why part of her still listened for one.  He was gone.  Her phone buzzed, and she saw that her mother had texted her again.  It was time to go.

  

  Julia was glad to see the rain, it would melt the small amount of frost and snow that the Island had unexpectedly received the night before.  Snow wasn't so much of a bother, but the frost could make stopping dicey.

  It only took her fifteen minutes to get to the Children's Boutique.  She stared at it.  Maybe she should have ridden slower.  With a sigh, she shut of her motorcycle again, and jumped off.  It was time to put on her big girl panties and deal.  Surely she could survive one little shopping trip?

  "Mama!"  Bella came running to her as soon as she stepped in.

  Julia stooped down and picked her up.  "Hey monkey, don't you look pretty.  Did Grandma help you change your clothes?"  She gave a pointed look at her mother.  Left to her own devices, Bella would change her clothes twenty times in a day, Julia was trying to discourage that, but her mother was only too happy to play dress up with her granddaughter.

  Only granddaughter as her mother would say.  Not as if that had been Julia's choice.


 

  Her mother shrugged.  "She wanted to wear a dress."

  "I thought we were going to the beach today?  After this little shopping...expedition."  That was the only part that Julia was looking forward to, she wanted her daughter to have the same love for the beach and the Ocean that Julia had.  That Bella's father had had.

  "A little sand won't hurt anything."

  Julia turned to her grandmother, who had been silently watching.  Her grandmother never seemed to settle very well indoors, she was always cagey, looking around, almost as if she expected the bogeyman to jump out and grab her.  Bella started squirming, trying to get down.  "Okay, I give up!"  She set her daughter down on the floor.  "Let's get this over with."

  Skye shook her head.  "Some things never change."

  "I'm here, aren't I?"

  Bella tugged on Julia.  "Pwetty dress Mama.  Pwetty dress!"

  "Okay you little monkey, let's go look at the pretty dresses."  Julia's phone started to ring, and she pulled it out of her pocket and looked at it.

  "You're not going to answer that, are you?"  Her grandmother asked.

 

  Julia looked at her phone again.  It was Bentley, the man who bought all the Ocean trinkets she could find.  She had to answer it.  "I'll just be a minute!"  She promised, as she answered the phone and walked outside as quickly as she could.

  Ivory watched as her granddaughter beat a hasty retreat out the door.  "Do you think she'll back?"

  "Doubt it."  Skye answered.  "Julia has never liked shopping, but I'm so glad that this little girl does."  Skye smiled at her granddaughter who was happily going through the dresses on the rack.

  "I can't say I'm all that terribly fond of it myself.  The walls are too close, it makes me...itchy."

  "I'm glad you're here Mom."

  Ivory sighed.  "I'm glad I'm here too."

  Bella found a dress she liked and showed it to Skye.  "This one Grama!  This one!"  Skye pulled the dress off the hanger and helped Bella change into it, and then led her to the three way mirror so she could see herself.  "Pwetty!"

 

  "Yes, you look very pretty Bella."

  Bella grinned and spun around, and around, and around, watching her dress twirl.  She giggled, "I balleena!  I dance!"

  "What a brilliant dancer."  Ivory said with a smile.

  Bella giggled again when she lost her balance and plopped down onto the floor.  She looked up, and suddenly noticed that her Mama wasn't there. She frowned.  "Where's my Mama?"

  Skye said, "Talking on the phone Sweetie, she'll be right back."

  Bella crossed her arms and pouted.  She wanted her Mama to see her pwetty dress too.

  "What?  Is that a pouty face I see?  You know what happens to little girls that get pouty faces?"  Ivory asked Bella with a twinkle in her eye.

  "No!  No tickle monsers!"  Bella screeched, and tried to run away, but Ivory grabbed her before she could get away.  "No!  No tickle monsers!"

  "Ha ha!  I've got you!"  Ivory said playfully as Bella giggled some more.

 
  "Well little girl, we'd better go buy your dress and find your Mama if we're going to make it to the Beach before your naptime."

  "No nap.  I no seepy."

  Ivory chuckled.  "We'll see." 


  ~<>~


  "I no seepy!"  Bella wailed.

  Julia ignored her daughter's protests, and continued getting Bella ready for bed.  "Some little monkey didn't take a nap today."  She said as she brushed her daughter's hair out.  "Who do you think that was? Hmm, Bella?"

  Bella rubbed her eyes.  "No me."

  "Not you, huh?"  Julia chuckled.  Bella stuck her thumb in her mouth and shook her head no.  Julia picked her up, and snuggled with her, before putting her into her "big girl" bed.

  She stroked Bella's hair, and then kissed her forehead.  "Love ya to the moon and back."

  "Moon and ack" was her daughter's sleepy response.

  Julia smiled down at her daughter.  She treasured these moments with her, and wished that she could be a more normal mom for Bella.  She would try, but the more she stuck around, trying to be the type of mom her mother had been to her, the louder her thoughts became, until she couldn't stand their deafening shrill any longer. She had to do something, go somewhere, or she would explode.

  At first she had tried to keep Bella with her, on all her travels, determined that her daughter would be raised solely by her.  In practice though, it didn't work well.  Bella cried for home, she got easily bored in the hotel rooms, and never liked any of the sitters that Julia had found for her.  Soon, it just became easier to leave Bella at home. If only she didn't feel so guilty about it all...  

~<>~

  Julia tapped her toe, impatiently.  Bentley had sent her here, to the Landgraab Museum of Art and Culture, he claimed that the Curator there had a job for her.  Julia was willing to do just about anything, the restlessness in her body was becoming an itch she couldn't ignore.  She needed the distraction that this job could give her.

 

  Bentley had been rather mysterious on the whole of it.  Julia had almost decided against going, but Bentley had assured her that he didn't have any upcoming jobs available for her.  So it was this, or nothing.  She couldn't stand the thought of nothing.

  She glanced around, all was quiet, like a tomb.  She sighed, tapped her toe some more, and resisted the urge to leave.  Patience was not her virtue.  This Curator was taking too long.

  She spun around when she heard her name called.

  "Julia!  You look fantastic."

  She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.  Impulse control, she could manage for a few moments...she hoped.  "Brennan.  What a surprise."

    He grinned at her.  "It's nice to see you again Jules."

  "I hate that nickname."  She said automatically.

  "It fits you so well though."  He leisurely looked her up and down, and then whistled.  "You aged well."

  She quirked a brow at him.  "Is this where I'm supposed to say the same?"  Her tone was sarcastic, but she couldn't help but notice him in return.  He exuded confidence, and power, a lion-like grace that she found attractive.  Too attractive.  D*mn the man anyway, she didn't want to feel anything, especially for him.  She tried to tamp down her inner restlessness, without much success.

  He chuckled.  "You never change Jules, you never change."

  She crossed her arms and turned away from him.  "As fun as this reunion is, I'm waiting for someone, so perhaps..."

  "Ah yes, the Curator of this fine museum.  That would be me."

  She slowly turned back towards him.  "You?  You're the Curator of this place?"

  He smiled at her.  "Yes, is that so hard to believe?"

  "Art was never your thing, or history for that matter."

  He laughed, and the sound sent shivers down her body.  She wanted to scream, why him?  Why now?  She had no reason to believe that he had changed his main character flaw, once a cheater, always a cheater.  Maybe it had just been too long since she had been with a man.  "Maybe so, but I have always appreciated beauty."

  She ignored the invitation in his eyes, or at least tried to.  "If this is some joke..."  She tried to interject some anger into her voice, but she wasn't sure how well it worked, her voice came out a bit too breathy.  She wanted to slap herself.  First thing she was going to do, was find a one nighter, her body was being ridiculous.

 

  He raised his hands defensively.  "No joke Jules, I swear, I'm on the up and up.  You may have noticed that our little museum is more dead than alive, I have been charged with changing that."  He shrugged his shoulders.  "I have some great ideas," his eyes met hers, and the heat in them nearly singed her, "about how to liven...this museum up.  And that is where you come in."

  "Doing what exactly?"

  A ghost of a smile graced his lips.  "Why, doing what you do best Jules, finding rare treasure."  He moved in closer to her, "My friend Bentley tells me you're the go to diver, willing to go anywhere in search of illusive valuables, that nothing scares you off, you are fearless.  I have in my possession, some maps, you could say, but the dive is in perilous waters.  So tell me Jules, are you interested?"

  Her breath quickened.  There was nothing she loved better than a bit of danger.  "Maybe."  She made herself reply coolly.  "If the terms are right."  No sense in letting him think he had her, Brennan the boy had always been self-assured.  Brennan the man took it to a whole other level.

  "Well, then, shall we discuss it further?"

 Julia inclined her head, and Brennan flashed a smile at her.  "Excellent!  Follow me, and I'll give you a tour of the place, and tell you my plans for it."  She followed him up the stairs, while Brennan kept up a steady stream of words.  "The previous Curator was a rather dull fellow, he was more into writings and books."  He paused to wrinkle his nose at her.  "Terribly boring!  I have in mind for something far more exciting..."

  Julia tuned him out, and took her time studying him instead.  She could see traces of the boy she had known in him, but the boy she had known was never interested in collecting art...or pieces of history.  She wondered when that had changed, and why.

  The more he talked, the more she found herself admiring his obvious passion for his job.  When was the last time she had felt such passion?  The restlessness grew even stronger in her, it was a writhing living thing within her.  A torrent of unwanted feelings and emotions crashed over her.  It had been so long since she had felt anything, let alone passion for her job.  She loved the adrenaline rush of finding treasure, she loved the peace of the Ocean's water, but passion?  Passion had died with...

  "So what do you think Jules?"  Brennan stared expectantly at her.

  She licked her lips.  What had he been talking about?  Why hadn't she at least paid a little attention to his words?  Instead of thinking about...things that were better left unthought of.  He had perfect lips, the thought came unbidden.  Did he kiss the same?  Julia closed her eyes.  What the h*ll was her problem?

 

  She met his gaze squarely.  "I'm not sure."

  "Indeed?"  He sounded surprised.  "That hardly seems like the Jules I know."

  "I've changed."  She said abruptly.  "I'm not the girl you used to know."

  There was frank admiration in his eyes.  "Oh, I know that.  We've both grown up since we last saw each other, surely you won't hold the past against me?"

  Julia started to walk away, Brennan trailed behind her.  "I don't think this is a good idea Brennan."

  "Which part?"  He put his hand on her shoulder to stop her.  "The partners part?  It might be awkward at first," he conceded, "but I'm sure we can get past that."

  Julia closed her eyes.  She could feel the warmth of his hand burning through her clothes.  She opened her eyes only to see a painting of lips, entitled "First Kiss."  She and Brennan had already had their first kiss.

  Brennan dropped his hand.  "Jules?  Are you okay?"  His voice was husky.

 

  He gently turned her around to face him.  "Jules?"

  Julia knew she should walk away, that would be the smart thing to do.  She didn't know why all of sudden her emotions had to turn all sophomore-ish on her.  It was ridiculous, the whole thing was ridiculous, yet a large part of her yearned to feel that maleness beside her again.  It didn't matter that it was Brennan of all people, her cheating douche of a boyfriend from before.  Before Rian, but Rian was gone, had been gone, and Julia was feeling needy.  "I should go."  She whispered, refusing to look into his eyes.  Brennan could think what he willed, but she should go.  Yet she didn't move.

  She didn't know who made the first move, only that her lips were pressed against his, and she could feel the hardness of him against her.  One of them moaned, or was it both of them?  She didn't know, but it was her hands clawing at his clothes, and his fingers tangled in her hair.  He just felt so good...

   "We have to stop."  She muttered, as his lips found the sensitive part of her neck.  She shuddered, and willed herself to move away from him.

  "I missed you Jules, more than I can say."  He whispered against her.  He kissed her collarbone, and moved lower, eliciting another moan from her.

  "Bren, no...we shouldn't..."  Her voice protested, but her body had a mind of it's own, as she moved restlessly against him, seeking the promise of gratification.  She was drowning in flames.

  "Look at me Jules."  She tried to resist, but he brought her face up.  His eyes were blazing.  "Tell me you want me to stop, and I will."

  "Don't stop."  Those words, were they hers?  Surely she had meant to say the opposite.  Her hands were busy unbuttoning his shirt, she wanted, no, needed, to feel his flesh. Now.

  He picked her up and brought her over to a nearby loveseat.  He helped her pull her dress off, and tossed her bra to the floor.  "You are perfect."  He breathed.  She pulled his head down to hers, and kissed him.  Her fingers fumbled with his belt.

  "It's just sex."  She muttered to him.  "Just a quick f*ck, that's all it is."  She said the words mainly to herself, she had to be realistic.  Brennan was not the man for her, Rian was.  Rian would always hold her heart, Brennan just her body.

  He ripped her panties off.  "Sure Jules, whatever you say."

 

"And only once."  She helped him pull his briefs off.

  "Mmm."  He agreed.  She screamed when her release came, but he wasn't finished making her scream.  She cried out his name, over and over, and not once did she mistake him for Rian.  When it was over, she lay motionless beneath him.  She felt drowsy, peaceful almost, the edginess that was in her earlier long gone.

  He nuzzled her breasts.  "Time for round two."

  She didn't protest.

~<>~
 
 "What?"  Her mother was giving her that look again.  The look that said, "I know what you've been up to."  Or maybe that was just Julia's conscience giving her grief.

  Skye took a sip of her tea.  "You haven't told us about your new job, or boss or anything.  You've already gone on what, three trips now?"

  "Four."  Julia muttered.  Each time she had intended to end things with Brennan, but she never quite got the words out.  She was too busy stripping his clothes off of him, seeking a few hours of blissful forgetfulness.  A small part of her felt bad, especially when she had learned that Brennan was married.  To a Landgraab heiress of all things.  He had told her theirs was not a love match, but a marriage of convenience, for business purposes.

  She should have cared.  But if he didn't, why should she?  She didn't want his heart, his money, or a proposal.  She just wanted his body, and the few hours of pleasure he gave her.  He was great in bed, she'd give him that.  Or against a wall, or on a table, or anywhere really.  Even an art museum with visitors wandering around that could see them at any time, and could definitely hear them.  It was another thing she should care about, but didn't.

  Lately she found she really didn't care about a lot, only her family, her daughter.  Maybe she had gone mad?

 

   "So?"  Her mother inquired further.  "Tell me about this new job."

  Julia shrugged.  "Not much to say."  I'm having an affair with my boss Mom, how's that for an answer?  Her mother wouldn't approve, Julia knew.  "We spend a few weeks out in the middle of the Ocean, diving for ancient artifacts.  Brennan, uh, Mr. Landgraab, has a map that shows likely locations of where ships have wrecked."

  She hadn't intended to have an affair with him, just a one off blow some steam, but her mother wouldn't understand that either.

  "Mama?  Can I have a cookie pease?"

  Julia smiled at her daughter.  "Go ahead monkey."

 Skye sighed.   "Julia, I hardly think that is an appropriate nickname for Bella."

  "But she's my little Sea Monkey, aren't you?"

  Bella nodded her head.  "Monkey!  I monkey!"

  "Monkey see, monkey do."  Ivory said softly.  "You should be careful, that little girl idolizes you, she'll want to do everything her Mama does."

  Julia eyed her grandmother.  "What is this?  Pick on Julia day?"  She didn't care what her grandmother or mother knew or didn't, her life was her own, and Bella was her daughter.

  "Just trying to save you some heart ache Julia."  Ivory responded.  If she had taken offense at Julia's tone, she didn't show it.

  "Hmmf.  Too late for that."

  "Julia!"  Her mother reprimanded her.  "What has gotten into you lately?"

  "Nothing, I'm just fine Mom.  I just hate being treated like I was twelve years old."  Her phone rang, saving her from any more comments from her mother.  "I gotta take this."  She talked for a few minutes, then hung up.  Three sets of eyes were staring at her.  "Sorry, as delightful as this tea party has been, I have to go.  Mr. Landgraab needs me."

  "Julia, your daughter needs you."  Skye said.

 

   Julia felt her temper flare up.  "My daughter is fine, and I'm fine.  If you don't want to watch her, just tell me and I'll find..."

  Skye interrupted her.  "You know I don't mind spending time with my granddaughter Julia, I just think you're missing out on..."

  "Enough.  I'm running late, and I still need to change clothes.  I'll see you later."  Julia stood up, and brushed a kiss on her daughter's soft cheek.  "I love you monkey, to the moon and back."

  ~<>~ 

 Brennan was waiting for her.  "I missed you."

 She pulled him into a kiss.  "Too much talking."

 His hands tightened around her.  "You drive me crazy Jules, you always have."

    She nipped at his shoulder.  "Are you going to just stand there and talk big?  Or..."  She trailed her hand down to his pants.

  "Vixen.  I'm addicted to you."  He groaned as he pushed himself closer into her.  "Marry me Jules, I'll be your sex slave forever."

  Julia put her hand out and stopped him.  "What the h*ll?  That better be a joke, a poor taste of one, but a joke."

  He looked at her.  "I'm serious Jules, we'd make a great couple."

  "Done that, been there, don't need a repeat.  Plus, you're already married jacka*s."

  Brennan snorted.  "I don't give a f*ck about my wife.  I could change, for you.  I've never really gotten over you Jules, I...Julia, I lo..."

  "Don't say it, Brennan.  For f*ck's sake, don't say it.  It's just sex, that's all there is between us."

 

 "Maybe we should end this."  Julia said panicky as she pushed his hands away.

  "Jules, wait."  He grabbed her before she could slip away from him.  "It was just an idea, a bone headed one, okay?  Just...relax."

  She stared at him, indecisive.  "I don't know Bren, this is just getting out of hand..."

  He pulled his shirt off, and then tugged on hers.  "Enough talking, let's just get back to f*cking okay?"

  Julia allowed herself to be persuaded, because she really didn't want to end things.  Not just yet.


_________________________________________________________________________
 
Notes: Wow!  Well then---it's been way over a year since I last posted a chapter.  Been a rough one for me, I've been embroiled in my own horrible soap opera.  Still in the midst of it, but then lately I've been dreaming about Julia's story, lol  So I'm kind of/sorta back but not really??

  Thankfully I have tons of pics already taken, so it was just a matter of writing this one up.  I still have some pics for maybe another chapter before I'll need to go in game again.  That'll be the tricky part.  Locating my Kahekili saved game, and then all the corresponding CC...but that's for another day, lol

  So the last time I opened this particular save up--it was March of 2016.  So I really don't remember where my sims all are in terms of the generational goals.  I should probably track down the goals and update them...

  Aaaaand...Julia.  She's a mess, and not really dealing very well with anything, lol  I had hopes of actually slowing the story down and showing Bella grow up---but I am an impatient writer, lol  So we'll see if I actually can make the last generation a little slower, usually I think I average about 5 chapters or so before moving on to the next generation.

  I've also played around a little bit with another Random Legacy Story--okay--fine--two of them, ha!  Some days I'm just not in the mood for plot heavy writing--which is why I started The Titans.  It's just a play style sort of story, if you can even call it a story.  I did it deliberately that way to keep myself from complicating it with plots.

  Because I actually started this one a while ago: A Rose By Any Other Name.  And then promptly started complicating it to where poses were required.  Bah--I am hopeless!!

  Anyway--thanks y'all for reading!! =)  
 

Chapter 94: New Dawn

  Warning: Language

  I give you this one thought to keep--

  I am with you still--I do not sleep

  I am a thousand winds that blow,

  I am the diamond glints on snow,

    I am the sunlight

    on ripened grain, I am the gentle

  Autumn rain.  When you awaken in the

  morning hush, I am the swift, uplifting

  rush of quiet birds in circled flight.

     I am the soft stars that shine

    at night.

  Do not think of me as gone--I am with

     you still in each new dawn.

                   ~unknown

  Sometimes, life could be a real b*tch.  Colin leaned back against the headboard of his bed, deep in thought.  He felt so many f*cking things all at once, he was almost numb; the events from three weeks ago were really taking their toll on him and the family.  Julia remained in her room all day, she wouldn't f*cking eat or talk to anyone, but her non-stop sobbing could be heard through her door.  Hawk had lived through his f*cking ordeal, barely, and earned some extra wrinkles for his troubles.  Neither he nor Skye f*cking talked very much to anyone, let alone each other.  Sh*t, Rhys was the only one who had emerged virtually unscathed, he was just a little f*cking sore.

   Colin didn't have the first f*cking idea on where to start to fix things, he was way the f*ck out of his comfort zone.  He'd had the great f*cking idea to get in touch with his father, to get his advice on how the h*ll to pull the family back together, only to discover that when he had f*cking destroyed Jack's machine, he had managed to f*cking destroy all of the d*mn modern devices that allowed travel between f*cking worlds, between whens.  A plane or a ship could f*cking take him to Moonlight Falls or any other d*mn town in this world, but a f*cking trip to where the Fae lived was no longer a f*cking option. He was so f*cked.

  A fail safe, Jack had f*cking called it, built into his machine, as a just-in-case; it was meant to destroy travel between other f*cking worlds, it would not have stopped the as*hole Medraut, but it would have slowed him down.

  Colin snorted.  Just in case.  That would have been f*cking helpful to know.

  It effectively meant that Colin's father and grandfather were f*cking stuck where they were, and Colin couldn't f*cking talk to either of them.  Which was f*cked up.  He keenly felt the loss of his dad's wisdom, his dad had always known what the h*ll to do; while Colin was f*cking stuck with his thumb up his a*s and the family was f*cking falling apart around him.   

  Love conquers all.  He could almost hear his dad's voice, how many f*cking times had he heard his father say that?  Not only say it, but f*cking live it; and despite the f*cking miles between them, it was almost like his Dad was f*cking standing right there, beside him.  Emotion clogged his throat, but he f*cking willed it away. 

  Ivory stepped out of the bathroom, a shell of herself; it wasn't the f*cking visible scars that had him concerned, it was the f*cking invisible ones.  She rarely spoke, her eyes remained haunted, and most times she f*cking trailed after him like a d*mn lost little puppy.  She had lost so much f*cking weight the bed barely dipped when she crawled onto it.  She laid her head on his chest, and he could feel her sigh.  He ran his fingers through her hair, it didn't f*cking matter what she was like now, he had her back, and somehow they would f*cking work through the sh*t.

  

  "I'm old now."  she whispered.  "Really old."

  "Yes you are."  Colin agreed, without thinking about it.

  She hit him, hard.  "What the h*ll Romeo?"

  "Ow, what the f*ck?"  Then he smiled, a real smile.  That was the first f*cking time she had sounded more like his Angel, he didn't know how the f*ck to deal with the shadow Ivory, but this one, his Ivory, he f*cking understood.  He shrugged.  "Hey, I was just agreeing with you, don't get f*cking p*ssed off at me."

  She glared at him.  "You're such an a*shole."

  "F*ck Angel, I thought that would make you happy, me agreeing with you."

  She huffed, and laid her head back on his chest.  "You haven't changed a bit."

  

  If needling her was what it took to bring her more back to herself, then he could do that, sh*t, some even called him a f*cking expert in the art of irritation.  "Why mess with perfection?" he asked with a straight face.

  "Why mess with...you...pompous...b*stard."  She sputtered. Colin started laughing, he couldn't f*cking help himself.  Her fingers fisted up and she thumped him hard a few times on his chest.  "A*s.  You're just messing with me."  She looked away from him, and sighed again.  "It's just, all these years I have lived in a nightmare I could never wake up from, Raven..."  Ivory shuddered. 

  She tried again to tell him about it, "I just..."her voice broke, "I'm sorry I..."  She shook her head, she just couldn't speak of the horrors she had endured, at least, not yet.  She changed the topic.  "And then there's you, you haven't aged a single day, you deserve someone younger and prettier and not as screwed up as I am...and then there's the kids..."  Her voice trailed off for a moment, "Babies when I saw them last.  Now they're all grown up, with babies of their own, that are all grown up, and I missed all of it!"

  He turned her face to his.  "What sort of f*cking bullsh*t nonsense is that?"  He asked fiercely. "From the f*cking first moment I f*cking laid eyes on you, I have f*cking belonged to you, and only you.  You're like," he paused, searching for a word, "gangrene in my f*cking heart! The only f*cking way to get you the f*ck out, is to f*cking cut my heart out!"

  Ivory was silent for a moment.  "Did you just compare me to gangrene?"

  Colin thought about it.  "H*ll, yes, yes I f*cking did."

  "You're so sweet, I think that is the nicest thing you've ever said to me." She reached up, and kissed him.

   "I'm not sweet."  He grumbled after the kiss ended.  "I have a f*cking image to uphold here. I could compare you to fungus though, if you liked my f*cking gangrene comment so much..."

  "Don't push your luck Romeo."  She smiled at him as she said it, but then frowned slightly.  "I'm messed up."

  "F*ck, aren't we all."  Colin responded.  "This whole family is f*cked up, it's silent as a f*cking graveyard around here, even Bob is f*cking moping, and I didn't even f*cking know robots could mope."

  "Then we need to do something about it."

  "We?"

  Ivory nodded her head.  "Yes, we.  I didn't go through h*ll just to have everything fall apart once I got my family back.  Now, you start with our granddaughter, once she's doing better, I think everyone else will start doing better."

  Colin eyed her suspiciously.  "We?  That sounded like a command just for me, where's this we?"

  Ivory smiled.  "Well, let me show you..."

  An hour later, Colin was standing in front of Julia's bedroom.  He knocked, he could hear the faint sounds of puking, and then the toilet flushing.  He waited a little bit, and then knocked again.  "Go away!"  Colin took that as his invitation to enter.

 

   
  "I don't want to talk to you."

  Colin shrugged.  "Good, that'll make this a lot f*cking easier.  Get dressed, we're getting the f*ck out of here."

  "I'm not going anywhere either."  Julia said sullenly.

  "Well, Squirt, you don't have a f*cking choice.  Now get your a*s out of that bed."

  "Don't call me that."  Julia said tiredly.  "I don't want to see you, or talk to you, or anyone else.  I just want to be left alone, just go away.  I want everyone to just go the f*ck away."

  "I can't do that Squirt."

  "So what else is new?" Julia laughed bitterly. "My life is over, I just want to..."

 
 "...get your a*s up out of that bed, I agree."  Colin said firmly.  "This is the f*cking way it's going to work, either you get the f*ck up, and get your a*s dressed, or I'll haul you out of this f*cking bedroom in your pjs.  Your choice."

  She turned and glared at him.  "That isn't a choice.  You're a d*mn bully, and..."

  Colin started counting, "10, 9, 8..."

  "And I'm not going anywhere with you!  I'm never going to leave this room, I can still feel him in here, his scent is still on the sheets."  Her voice cracked.  "I'm staying right here, where he is."

  "Julia, Rian is gone, and he f*cking wouldn't want you f*cking withering away like a dumba*s.  Last time, are you going willingly, or..."

  Julia turned away.  "I'm not going anywhere with you."

 "Suit yourself."  Colin strode over to the bed, and lifted her up.  She started screaming, and hitting him, he ignored her, and threw her over his shoulder.  The commotion brought the rest of the household over.

  "Dad, what are you doing?"  Skye asked in alarm.

  "We'll be back."  Colin said, and he marched right on by the family, and out the front door.  Ivory could f*cking fill them in, he had his arms full with Julia, who was still howling, kicking, and causing a scene.  Not that Colin cared two f*cks about that, but Julia might, once she pulled her head out of her a*s.

  The beach was just a short walk from the house, maybe half a mile or so, he drew a few odd looks from nearby passersby as he made his way to the Beach with a howling cat slung over his shoulder.  As he got closer to the Ocean, Julia started to settle down, so he plopped her down on a sand dune, and then sat down next to her.

  They sat silently for a long while, and Colin just let her be.  The weather had turned slightly, and a light rain was falling, it suited his mood just fine.  The Squirt could f*cking try the patience of a saint, and he wasn't one of those, but he knew she had f*cking less patience than he did.  He was sure she would cave first and break the silence.

  "I hate you."  She finally said, without any heat.

  "I know."  

  Julia swiped a tear from her eye.  "The last time I was on the beach, it was with Rian."  Her voice cracked.  "I miss him so much Grumpa, the pain of it is unbearable!"

  Colin sighed sadly.  "I know Squirt."

  She laughed bitterly.  "How would you know?  You have your love back, Grandma Ivory is alive, while, while, Rian is dead!"

  Colin scowled at her.  "How would I know?  How the f*ck would I know?"  He sputtered,"Well, d*mn, what about all those f*cking years when I thought she was dead?  Huh?  Sure, she's f*cking alive today, but I don't know for how f*cking long, you may have noticed she f*cking aged a little.

   I've got her back, only to f*cking lose her to death again.  It nearly f*cking killed me the first time!"  Colin was silent for a moment after his outburst.  He sighed heavily, and then said in a calmer tone of voice, "But Squirt, we can't f*cking bury ourselves just to try and f*cking protect us from pain, that's a sh*tty a*s way to live.  Without the f*cking risk of pain, there isn't the joy of love.  And I would f*cking do it all over again, even though it f*cking hurts like h*ll, just because I f*cking love her, and every f*cking day with her is a gift."

  Julia sniffed.  "Grumpa, I'm sorry, I..."  Seeking comfort from him like she had when she was a little girl, she scooted closer to him, and laid her head on his shoulder.  "I don't think I can be as strong as you."

 
  "That's f*cking nonsense."  Colin said gruffly.  "Look at all you have f*cking overcome, if that's not strength, I don't know what the f*ck is.  Besides, you have someone else to consider now, so you have to be strong for them."

  "Someone else?  What are you talking about Grumpa.  I'm not in the mood for one of your riddles or pranks."

  Colin rolled his eyes.  "What the f*ck? A prank at a time like this?  What kind of guy do you think I am?"

  "An a*s."

  He bumped her shoulder playfully.  "Maybe.  That doesn't change your truth."

  Julia shook her head.  "And what's that?"

  "You're pregnant."  He said bluntly.

  "The h*ll I am."

  "The h*ll you aren't."

  She lifted her head and stared at him.  "Why the h*ll would you say something like that?  I've been sick, yes, but that's because...because...because..."

  "...you're pregnant."  Colin finished for her.  "I've been around pregnant women a time or two, you've got all the d*mn signs.  Which means, you need to f*cking take better care of yourself, you've got a baby to look after."

  Julia sat up.  "No f*cking way.  A baby?!  I'm not ready to have a baby, I'm not supposed to be a single mom!" She wailed.

  "Well, marry someone then.  Problem solved."

  "You can't be serious.  I'm never falling in love or getting married again."  She vowed.

  "Sounds lonely."

  "Hmph, if I ever feel lonely, there's ways of taking care of that, without falling in love."

   Colin sighed.  "Sh*t, done that and f*cking been there, it's not all it's cracked up to be, but you're so d*mn bull headed, I doubt anything I f*cking say right now would make a difference."

  Julia stood up, and brushed the sand off of herself.  "Thanks Grumpa.  You really know how to make a girl feel better."  She said sardonically.

 

 

  Colin smirked at her as he jumped up onto his feet.  "Well, I do my best."  He slung his arm around her.  "Now," he said conspiratorially, "let's keep that earlier little speech of mine to ourselves, shall we?  I have a f*cking reputation to maintain, can't have people thinking I'm f*cking whipped."

  Julia shook her head.  "You are unbelievable sometimes."

  He nodded his head.  "It's a gift."  He wagged his finger at her.  "No more bullsh*t, right?  Be sad, but don't f*cking act like you're dead.  Besides, if you don't change, your grandmother is going to whoop my a*s, or worse."

  Julia chuckled.  "You are so whipped Grumpa."

  Colin grinned at her.  "Sssh, not so loud!"


  ~<>~


  Julia moaned in pleasure at the first bite of the cheeseburger.  Usually she preferred healthier eating, but lately she craved junk food.  Cheeseburgers specifically.

    It was the middle of the night, and she should be sleeping, but she found it hard to sleep.  When she slept, she dreamt, and more often than not, she dreamt of Rian, which always put her in a sour mood when she woke up and remembered that he was gone.

  She took another bite of her cheeseburger.  She was so mad at him.  Mad that he left her.  Mad that he died.  Mad that he didn't tell her everything.  Bella.  Somehow he must have known that she was pregnant, and that almost made it worse.

  Most of all though, she just missed him.

  She heard footsteps and glanced up mid-bite.  "Mmmhph"

  "Hey Princess, midnight snack?"

  She swallowed her bite of food.  "Hi Daddy, yeah, I have a weakness for cheeseburgers, the greasier the better, lately.  Why are you up?"

  "Nightmares."  He didn't elaborate, and Julia didn't ask.  She was just grateful that she hadn't lost her dad too, it had been touch and go for a while.  She tilted her head and looked at him, studying him as he rummaged around in the fridge looking for a midnight snack himself.  He had aged a lot since the confrontation with his mother, and it scared her.  He grabbed a plate of what looked like waffles, and turned towards her.  "Mind if I join you?"

  "No, please do."

 
  He sat down beside her.  "How are you feeling?"

  Julia shrugged.  "Okay, I guess.  How are you and Mom?"  While her parents were still silent and awkward around each other, at least her dad had finally moved back into their bedroom, and was no longer sleeping on the couch.  Julia took that as a good sign.

  "Dealing."  He smiled briefly.  "I'm giving her some space, I really hurt her, and there's no way I can undo that."

  Julia sighed.  "I can't believe I'm going to give my Dad some advice on his love life, but here goes, sometimes Dad, space is not what we need.  Look at Grumpa, he ignored my desire for more space, and instead kicked me in the a*s by dragging me, literally kicking and screaming, out of the house."  She finished off her cheeseburger.  "It's what I needed, even if I didn't think so at that moment.  Maybe that is what Mom needs."

  "Hmm."  He grunted as he stared at the food in front of him.  "I don't know Julia, I don't think she'd react well to me hauling her out of the house over my shoulder..."

  Julia giggled at that image.  No her mother would be less than pleased if he did that.  "Not exactly what I had in mind. You sleep in the same bed right?"  She nudged him playfully.  "Well, I'd work with that."  She stood up, and grabbed her plate.  "What happens next is between you two.  I don't want to hear about it."  She smiled at him, and he smiled back.  With that said, Julia rinsed her dish off, and then kissed her dad on the cheek.  "I'm going back to bed.  Love ya Daddy."

  "Love you too."


  ~<>~



   "So what does this do?"  Julia asked, pointing at some buttons that blinked and glowed.

 

    
    Jack answered with a distracted grunt.  He was trying to analyze the chromosomes of this strange seed he had come across one day while hiking.  It was unlike any seed he had ever seen before, it seemed to have replicating abilities, and would turn into whatever it was fed.  It was quite a puzzle, and Jack loved puzzles.  At least it was something to do besides worry over the lack of a reply from Maxine.

  He had never worried if a few months went by without a reply, he knew she was busy, busy like he used to be.  She belonged to Doctor's without Borders, an organization that sent medical personal around the world to help out other less fortunate people, and that kept her plenty occupied, but it had been nearly two years since he had last heard from her.

  They had met in highschool, as Sophmores, she was the new kid, and had been assigned as his lab partner for the year.  She had been nearly as shy as he was, but once they had both figured out their mutual love of science, they had become instant friends. Jack didn't have many friends, most people thought he was slightly odd, and they had no idea what he was talking about.  His family humored him, but Maxine, she had not humored him, but instead, she had actually understood what he was saying, and added to his knowledge of many different subjects.

  They could spend hours discussing the merits of white holes versus black holes, or even how crazy the theory of an Ekpyrotic Universe was.  If Jack had believed that love was real, and not just a biochemical reaction in the brain, he would have said he loved her, but of course it wasn't, so he didn't.

  She was the only girl that he wasn't related to, that he hadn't felt terribly awkward around.

  Though, none of that mattered now, it was all ancient history.  She had wanted to travel, see the world, become a doctor and help others; but he hadn't been able to go with her, his family had needed him.  They had never been officially more than friends, even what happened on Graduation night hadn't changed that, the next morning had come...and he let her go without a word.  Really, what could he have said?  Their lives had been on different trajectories. 

  Jack stared at his computer screen.  Maybe she had finally gotten married.  He had always expected that she would.  Every letter of hers that he had ever read, that had always been in the back of his mind.  He'd had a scare once, not that he would ever begrudge her, her happiness, she deserved to be happy, but when she had written to tell him that she'd had a daughter, he had expected her to announce she was married too.

  He had refused to analyze his feelings when he found out that she wasn't married, and that the father of her baby wasn't involved.  Jack wasn't good with emotions, those were best left to someone more like his sisters.  He would stick with logic, it made more sense.

  A whirring noise snapped him out of his thoughts, he glanced up from his screen to see that Julia had managed to open up his bot tuning station.  "Ahhh!  Julia!  Stop!  What are you doing?!"

 

   She glanced over her shoulder at him.  "I asked you what those buttons were for, but you ignored me, so I decided to find out."

  Jack sighed.  He felt for his niece, he truly did.  She had been through a lot, but her boredom was going to drive him bonkers.  He didn't know why she had decided to attach herself to him, and ask endless questions about what was this?; and what did that do?.  He only had one rule for her though, not that she ever listened to it.  "What have I told you about touching things?" he grumbled.  "That machine is very delicate, I can't have you pushing buttons willy nilly."

  She walked towards him.  "So it builds robots like Bob?"

  Jack nodded.  "It's more simple, user friendly, that way any one could build a bot, not just me, but it's temperamental, I haven't worked all the bugs out of it yet."

  "So I could..."

  Jack interrupted her.  "No, you can't, no touching remember?  It's not ready.  When it is you'll be the first one I notify."

  "So what were you thinking about?"  Julia asked, curious.  Usually when he ignored her, it was because he was completely involved in whatever project he was working on, except this time, he had just been staring at the screen, motionless.  Bella chose that moment to make her presence known to her mother, and Julia rubbed her tummy.  "There, there, little one."  She whispered softly.

 

   Jack blushed and stammered.  "Nuh...nuh...nothing."

  "Who is she?"

  He frowned at her, his cheeks still bright red.  "What makes you think I was thinking about a female?"

  Julia chuckled.  "I don't know," she teased him, "those pink cheeks of yours?"

  Flustered, Jack covered his cheeks.  One of the hazards of having so little pigmentation in his skin, was when his sympathetic nervous system kicked in due to the levels of cortisol in his blood, it caused the blood vessels to widen in his face, which increased the blood flow to his skin, which caused him to...blush.  It was disconcerting.  "She is..."  He was going to say not important, but that would be a lie.

  "Well, Uncle Jack, if I were you, I'd call her and ask her out on a date."

  Call Maxine?  Preposterous.  She didn't own a phone.  But maybe he would break with tradition, and write her another letter, even though she hadn't responded yet to his last one.  He noted Julia's interested expression, and decided it was time for a little distraction.  "I need some fresh air, how about we go for a walk on the beach?"  Maybe if he explained the molecular structure of Ocean water again, she would leave him in peace for a while? 


  ~<>~


  Her daughter's cries woke her up from a lovely dream.  In her dream, it had been a warm night, with a full moon and a sky filled with shimmering stars.  Rian was holding her close, and they were swaying to the Nat King Cole song, "Unforgettable".  It had been so real too, so real, that it had taken her several moments after waking up to realize she had been dreaming, and then reality had crashed in.  Rian was gone.  That thought still had the power to hurt.

 

  As she cuddled her daughter, she couldn't help but think of him.  Her emotions ran the gamut, everything to what it would have been like if he had lived, to being p*ssed off all over again at him for not telling her everything he knew.  And then she would feel guilty for being so p*ssed at him. 

  She loved him.  She hated him.  She missed him.  She wished she had never met him.  She was glad she had known him, loved him. 

  A regular see saw of messy emotions.

  Her family tried to help, indeed, sometimes she had to fight them for time alone with Bella, someone was always holding her, but it still wasn't the same.  Rian was supposed to be the one with her.  They would have taken turns getting up in the middle of the night, and they could have shared all of Bella's firsts.  Her first smile.  Her first tooth.  Her first step.  Her first day of school.  Her first boyfriend.  Her first broken heart.

  Her thoughts were driving her mad. 

  Bella started to fuss again, and Julia gently rocked her in her arms.  "Ssshh baby, don't you fret, we can do this."  She looked down into her daughter's tiny face, at her crystaline blue eyes, the same color as Rian's.  Julia choked down a sob, but couldn't stop the tears from falling.  She missed him so much.

 

   


   Her grumpa had assured her that it would get better with time, but Julia had her doubts.  How could she move on, when everywhere she looked, she could see him?


  ~<>~
 


 "Okay, now f*cking open your eyes."  Ivory opened her eyes, and stared.  She was speechless.

  

  
   "What in the h*ll have you done Romeo?"

  Colin grinned at her.  "I promised you a f*cking house with a black picket fence, now didn't I?  I'm a man of my f*cking word.  So, surprise Angel!  I had this f*cking house built just for you."

  "I don't know what to say." In front of her was the house of her dreams, and it was completely surrounded by an...honest to goodness black picket fence.  And was that a...carousel?  In the front yard?!

  Colin scratched his chin thoughtfully.  "I may have gone a tad overboard."

  Ivory smiled.  "A tad?"

  He shrugged.  "Okay, maybe more than a f*cking tad.  I thought a new house would do all of us f*cking wonders, not just you and me, but the whole d*mn family, no old memories, only new ones."

  
   Ivory just had to ask.  "Why is there a carousel in the front yard?"

  "You told me once that you wanted to ride the f*cking carousel.  So," he pointed at the carousel, "there it is."

  Ivory shook her head.  "Maybe when I was four!"

  "Come on Angel, let's f*cking go for a ride, you know you want to."

  Ivory eyed him suspiciously.  "I don't trust that glint in your eye."

  Colin feigned innocence.  "What?! D*mn Angel, you're f*cking tough on a guy's ego."

  

    "What are you cooking up in that devious little mind of yours?"

   Colin winked.  "Well, since you asked."  He leaned in closer to her, and started nuzzling her neck.  "I do have some great f*cking ideas about breaking that carousel in..."

  
 _________________________________________________________________________

  Notes:  Ivory riding a carousel:

    I really wanted them to ride it together, together, on the same horse, just because I thought it would be cute.  However, you can't do that with the store object.  Pity.  And yes, they have a carousel in front of their house now---for a little while anyway.  I had all this space and I thought, why not?  Who doesn't want a carousel in their front yard, lol

  Also--Colin on the carousel, doesn't he look like he's having fun?!  lol

  Julia is having a tough time saying goodbye.  But hey---Gen 10 has officially been born!!!!  Woot!  It's hard to believe I started this legacy over 3 yrs ago---and I'm finally approaching the finish line.  Approaching, but no where near it yet, lol

  And yes, they moved again---the lot they had was so glitchy it was driving me crazy.  The town was a mess too, so I just saved the main legacy family, and started a new save in Sunlit Tides, which is why (sadly!!!) I had to say goodbye to Alder and Ryder (among many others).  =( 

  Also--Christmas Card--

 

  Thanks for reading! =)

  
 

Chapter 92: Living in the Moment

  Warning: Language



  Julia didn't bother knocking on the door, but let herself in; nor did she spare a glance at any of the decor or furnishings, she wasn't interested in any of that.  Instead she made a beeline straight for what, or rather, whom, she was interested in.

  She had a promise fulfill.

  "You came."

  She laughed softly.  "Did you doubt?" 

  He wrapped his arms around her waist.  "Not really, but I still think this is ill advised."
 

   "Do I scare you Rian?"  She teased him.

  "Terrify me, more like."  He admitted.  "You are like this brightly dancing flame, so mesmerizing to the eye, and I know I am going to get burnt if I get too close, yet I can't seem to help myself.  You draw me in a way I do not understand."

  Julia smiled softly.  "Well, that makes two of us then.  I obviously cannot stay away from you either, nor do I want to.  I love you."

  "Julia, I..."  His voice trailed off.

  "It's okay, Rian, I don't need the words.  You know me, I'm a girl of action."

  He bent his head down closer to her, almost as if he was going to kiss her, but then he hesitated for just a moment. "Marry me." he whispered.


 

  Julia looked up at him, startled.  "Marry you?  We went from ill advised to marriage?  In the space of a few minutes?"

  He kissed her softly.  "We sure did.  I have thought of nothing else for days; I am an old fashioned man, Julia, and I cannot be in that way with you, unless we were to marry."

  Julia considered him.  "City Hall is closed."

  He nodded.  "Indeed, we can take care of the legal ceremony in the morning, so that this land recognizes that we are One.  For tonight though, we can speak our sacred vows to each other, and become One in the traditions of the land where I came from."

  "Your asking skills could use some work."  Julia told him.  "I won't promise to obey you either."

  Rian chuckled.  "As if you would ever make things that easy for me."

  "Well, as long as we are clear on that, yes, yes, and a thousand times yes!  I would love to marry you."




 

  Rian looked directly into her eyes.  "I vow this day, to love, honor, protect, and cherish you for all the days of my life.  I will always strive to be worthy of your love."

  Julia's eyes shimmered with emotions. "On this day, I give you my life, my promise, that I will walk with you, hand in hand, wherever our journey leads us, living, learning, loving. Together."

~<>~

  Julia walked along the beach, hand in hand with her husband.  Her husband.  The sweetest sounding words she had ever heard.  Even though they had been married for five months now, she still had to resist the urge to pinch herself, just in case she was dreaming.

  A breeze ruffled her hair; she lifted her face to it, and breathed in the familiar salt air.  She sighed, contentedly.  Rian squeezed her hand, and she smiled up at him.  Could this moment be any more perfect?

  They walked along the shoreline for a while longer, neither of them felt the need to fill the silence with words.  That was one of the things she loved about Rian, he knew how to just be in the moment with her.  He, like her, understood that moments didn't always require words.  Rian suddenly stopped by the water's edge, his eyes on the horizon.

  The Sea was calm, the waves lapped up against the sand with gentle fingers, barely making a sound.  In the distance, she could hear the seagulls crying.

  Julia didn't need to be able to read his mind to sense that something was bothering him, nor did it take much thought on her part to know what that something was.

   It was the shadow that loomed over their happiness, and she hated it.  Hated that there was nothing she could do to banish it.  They played a waiting game, never knowing if this was the day her grandmother would decide to show up.  Julia even harbored the hope that her grandmother had simply given up on her fruitless quest, but no one else shared that hope.

  Still, she refused to live her life in fear of what may happen in the future.  As she had told Rian many times, they could die in a car accident tomorrow, or a plane could crash on top of the house as they slept, life was unpredictable and uncertain.  The only certainty was that they had now, today, this one moment.

  The quiet was broken not by words, but by a whinny, an unexpected sound to hear on the beach.  Curious, she turned around to see what was making the sound, and she gasped in surprise.  "Rian."  she whispered, tugging on his sleeve.  "Do you see it?"

  "I do."

  "Is it...a..."

  "Unicorn, yes."

 

 

    "My mother said she saw a white one once, on the day she was engaged to my father.  She said she took it as a sign, a sign of blessing.  What do you think a black one means?"

  "Unicorns are magical, to see one of any color, means that you are blessed."

  "I wonder if it will let me approach it."

  Rian studied the unicorn for a moment, before answering.  "I think he will."

  Julia approached the unicorn cautiously, she wasn't sure what Rian saw in it that made him think it would let her approach it, but she trusted Rian's judgment implicitly.  She held her hand out, and it sniffed her fingers, before nudging her gently with it's head.  She laughed softly.  "Want pets do you?"  She stroked it's neck.  "You are beautiful."  He whinnied again, and Julia chuckled.  "You already know that, don't you?  Typical male."

 

  The unicorn's ears pricked up when Rian approached, but it didn't run.  "He's just as vain as any male."  She teased Rian.  "At least he has a reason to be so, he is absolutely gorgeous."

  The unicorn neighed again, and then lowered its horn, a strange light began to emanate from it, the light grew and grew, until it encompassed both Rian and Julia, before fading away to nothing.  "How curious."  Rian murmured.

  "What just happened?"

  Rian had heard rumors that Unicorns could gift people with a vision of their futures, if the Unicorn so desired.  Rian had just never expected that a Unicorn would gift him with such a vision, and what he had seen...  He glanced at Julia, but it appeared that she did not experience the same thing.  The gift might have been for him alone.  "We've just been blessed by him."

  "Aw, that's sweet."  Julia gently patted the Unicorn.  "I don't remember my parents talking about that happening to them.  I'll have to ask them again.  Though, if I remember correctly, my dad couldn't see the unicorn at all, it just looked like a horse to him."

  Rian pondered the unicorn. "Did you see anything?" he asked Julia, wanting to be sure his assessment was correct, that indeed he was the only one to see the Unicorn's vision.

 

 

  "Like what?"  Julia asked him.

  "Like a vision?"

  She looked at him strangely.  "No, did you?  See a vision?"

  He needed time to think about what he had seen, and how it all fit in together with what he knew, but Julia would be like a dog with a bone if he told her he had indeed seen one.  So he answered her without answering her.  "I have heard that Unicorns will sometimes gift people with a vision of what their future holds.  I merely wondered if you had seen a glimpse of the future..."

  "Are you working yourself into a tizzy again?  Thinking about all that mystery future stuff you refuse to tell me?"

  "Can't tell you."  He corrected.

  "Because the Universe might implode and all that?"

  He shook his head, and smiled slightly.  "Laugh all you want, but it is a serious matter.  And yes, I was thinking of future events.  The longer we are together, the less I recognize from what I was told, it concerns me greatly.  It should concern you as well, the future of the world is at stake."

  Julia shrugged.  "I'm not going to bug out about it.  I still hope she has given up.  Besides that, if it fails, Uncle Jack could just build one of those time travel machine things, and we can just try again right?  That's the beauty of time travel."

  "No, she has not given up, that is a certainty.   Your father just knows how she thinks, and how to lead her on a long, what you call,  goose chase, for which I admit, I am selfishly thankful.  It gives us more time to be together."  He sighed.  "But this is a one shot deal Julia.  If we don't succeed, then we don't succeed.  Whenever the time continuum is changed or manipulated, even slightly, we increase our chances of even worse things happening, like ripples in a pond, each small decision affecting the larger ones.

  I am not a scientist, and cannot explain all the particulars, but I could let your Uncle Jack explain it all to you."

 

 

  "That's okay."  Julia grimaced.  "I love my Uncle, but he loses me after he says my name."

  "Your name?"

  "Yes, my name.  He'll say, "Julia" and then all I hear is blah, blah, blah.  I feel bad about it, but my mind wanders whenever he starts explaining things to me."  She shrugged.  "I can't help it."

  Rian smiled at her.  "Not the scientific type?"

  "It's boring.  There, I said it."  She smiled back at him.

  He chuckled.  "You find anything that involves holding still, boring."

  "True."  Julia agreed cheerfully.  "I'd rather be doing things..."  She winked at him.  "I have a few ideas right now of what I'd like to be doing..."

  "Here?  Julia, I'm shocked."  He teased her.

  
  "You are not!  You're tempted."  She threw back at him.

  He sighed, a slight smile still on his lips.  "You may be right."

  "No may be about it."  She singsonged.

  "You just like to hear me say the words."

  Julia grinned at him mischievously.  "Those words do have a sweet ring about them."  She sidled up closer to Rian, and slowly walked her fingers up his chest.  "There are still other things I like better, but you are a tad overdressed for that."

  "Temptress." he said, huskily.

  "Aha, back to square one."

  He half laughed, half moaned.  "Yes, you're right."

  "Of course I am."  She said, and then she kissed him.

  The unicorn neighed, and inserted itself between them.  Julia laughed, and backed away, letting the unicorn through.   It bumped up against Rian, and he chuckled.  "Okay, okay, I agree."  He cleared his throat. "It would be better to finish that conversation at home."  The Unicorn nudged him again, gently this time.  "I thank you, my friend, for the blessing."

  "Home."  Julia sighed heavily.  She didn't really want to go home.  The subject of home had been their first big argument, and one that she had actually lost as well.  He had been implacable, telling her that they needed to stay with her family, because it would cause them to worry less.  It had more security, it would enable him to keep a closer eye on everybody, blah, blah, blah.

  She had vehemently disagreed.

  In the end, she had been the one to cave though.  Her family's obvious relief that she wouldn't be leaving had shown that Rian was correct.  They were worried about her, but it was darned inconvenient for her.  She wanted Rian to herself, and not have to share him with everyone.  She sighed.  At least her family had grown to love him as much as she did. 

  Rian threaded his fingers with hers as they both watched the Unicorn disappear.  "I wonder why my father couldn't see it, while my mother could."  Julia mused, thinking of the question she had posed earlier.

  "At the time, "Rian said softly, "he didn't have a pure heart."

  "Oh."  Julia digested that for a little.  "I hope my parents patch things up.  It's obvious they both love each other, and while I don't condone what my dad did, and he doesn't either, he has changed, my mother is just being stubborn. It kills me to see how they are now.  Promise me Rian, that we'll never let anything come between us."

  Rian didn't answer her directly, but pulled their entwined hands up, and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.  "Let's go home love."


~<>~


  "I still can't believe we've never gone bowling before."  Julia said. "How remiss of me."

  Rian hefted the bowling ball up, and turned to look at her.  "I still can't believe your grandfather let you close the whole place down for the day."

  "Yep, it's just you and me, oh, and that cute bartender over there."

  Rian frowned.  "What cute bartender?"  He looked around, but didn't see anyone.

  "Over there."  Julia pointed.  "Grumpa told him to come to work, just in case we wanted a drink.  I'm not any good at mixing drinks, and I don't think you are either.  Personally," Julia continued, "I think Grumpa kept him here as a spy, just to make sure I don't accidentally burn the place down by trying to mix a Blue Blazer or something."

  Once pointed in the right direction, he could easily see who she was referring to.  "I don't think he is all that cute."  Rian said stiffly as he rolled the bowling ball, and then watched it wobble down the lane.

 
  Julia tilted her head.  "Really?"  She pretended to study said bartender.  "I don't know, I think he has pretty eyes."

  "Pretty eyes!"  Rian sputtered, he spun around and stalked towards her, a glint in his eyes.  Julia giggled. "You must think you are pretty funny." he mock growled.

  "Maybe."  She grinned at him.

  He grabbed her and kissed her, very throughly.  "You should be ashamed of yourself, provoking me like that."  He said when they came up for air.

  "Kiss me again, and I'll think about being ashamed."  He gave her a quick peck on the lips, and she frowned at him.  "That was it?"

  "Woman, this outing was your idea."  He reminded her.  "It's your turn."

  "Spoilsport."  She grumbled. "Maybe we should check out the theater next."  She grabbed a bowling ball, and threw it in a hook fashion.

 

 

   Rian wasn't so sure that he actually liked bowling per se, but he did enjoy watching her bowl.  He found her to be quite distracting, and possibly even a bad influence on himself, especially whenever she bent over with those snug jeans of hers; he was beginning to have some ideas of his own.  He tugged a little on his shirt.

  If anyone had ever told him that he would feel this way about a girl, no, a woman, he would have laughed at them.  Nothing had been more important to him than his dream, and the dream that his parents had held for him; the dream of being a Guardian, and all that pertained to that life.  Nothing and no one had ever tempted him away from that dream either, until her.

  With a single look, she could reduce him to his baser instincts, make him forget about everything except his need to possess her, mark her, and make her his. Over and over, he couldn't get enough of her.  That side of him, scared him, for it was not a side easily controlled.

  Logically he could conclude it was the result of their bond, he had taken her as his mate, and as such she would, of course, bring out the more primitive side of himself.  Emotionally however, he worried.  He wondered if he would be able to do what he had to do, when the time came.   Which side of him would win if push came to shove?  And did he really have a choice?

  "Strike!"  Julia crowed.

  Her jumping up and down wasn't helping matters any. "I think I am done with bowling now."  He said, a little desperately.  "I'm ready for a drink."

  Julia whirled around.  "A drink?  Okay, you can meet that cute bartender then."  She winked at him, and headed for the bar.

  Rian briefly closed his eyes.  He had forgotten about the bartender.  "Or maybe not."  He followed her anyway.

  "Hello Brannon."  Julia greeted the bartender by name as she sat on one of the stools.

  Rian frowned.  "You know his name?"

  "Hello Trouble." Brannon greeted Julia.  "You want your usual?"

 
   "Trouble?  Little ol me?  And yes please, two of them."

  Brannon snorted.  "Little ol you, the one who nearly got me fired."  The drink that Julia requested was simple, and it didn't take Brannon long to make them and hand them out.

  Julia airily waved her hand about.  "I fixed it, so it's all good."  She took a sip.  "Perfection, as always Brannon."

  "And you appear to know the bartender well."  Rian said broodingly.

  "Brannon, this is Rian, my husband.  He's just a little perturbed because I called you cute."

  Brannon stared at her, then at Rian, and then back to Julia.  "Are you trying to get me killed again?"

 

  "Again?"  Rian questioned, he looked over at Julia.

  "Grumpa got a little protective."

  "A little?"  Brannon laughed nervously.  "I thought I was a dead man."

  Rian looked over at Julia.  "What did you do?"

  "What did I do?"  Julia sputtered, slightly affronted.  "Why did you assume I did something and not him?"  Julia pointed at Brannon.

  "Maybe because he knows you?"  Brannon suggested.

  Rian was starting to feel slightly better about this Brannon character, he still didn't like him though.  "Julia?"  Julia took another sip of her drink, ignoring his request.  Rian looked over at the bartender.  "Brannon?"

 

  "Somehow her grandfather got the idea that we were romantically involved, she was all of what, 12? Maybe 13?  I am easily twice her age, there was no way man!  I'm not into kids, er, or her ever."  Brannon hastened to add, making sure that Rian was aware that he wasn't interested in Julia at all in that way.  "We're just friends, but man, I sure thought her grandfather was going to tear me to pieces.  I seriously went through 8 of my 9 lives right then."

  "Well, how was I supposed to know he thought I was talking about you, when in fact I was talking about someone else."  She'd had a huge crush on Brennan, eventually she had even dated him, and had discovered he wasn't worth a plug nickel.  "I mean, you're cute and all, but you're oooold!"

  "Thanks youngin'." Brannon said sarcastically.

  "But I'm old."  Rian interjected.

  Julia dismissed his words.  "You are not old Rian, you were frozen for a long time, there's a big difference.  Brannon is like ancient, two footsteps from death."

  Brannon shook his head.  "You're a brat, and you can be sure I'll tell your grandfather tomorrow what a troublemaker you were tonight."

  Julia looked over at Brannon.  "Go ahead, you know him, he'd be proud of me."

 

  "You're probably right."  Brannon sighed.  "He would be.  I think I'll turn the projector on for you two, and get this place ready for business tomorrow."

  "What?  Are you trying to get rid of me?"

  "Is it working?"  Brannon asked.

  "Only because I'd rather spend time with Rian than you."  Julia retorted with a smile.  "Let's go watch a movie Rian.  Make it a good one Brannon."

  "Yes Ma'am."

  Rian followed Julia down to the movie theater room.  "How did your grandfather get him confused with someone else?"

  "His name is Brannon, right?  Well, the kid I had a crush on, his name was Brennan.  Similar, but different.  Grumpa thought I was talking about Brannon, but I wasn't, I was talking about Brennan."

  "Brennan, as in..."

  "The Jerk?  Yeah, that's him.  You have nothing to worry about you know, I love you, and I don't want anyone else.  It's just so much fun pushing your buttons."

  The theater was empty so they had their choice of any seat.  Julia sat in the front row, and Rian sat down next to her.  "I have a better idea for having fun."

  Julia perked up.  "Do tell."

  "Better yet, you being a girl of action and all..."

  
  "I like the way you think."  Julia murmured.

  "I think you are a bad influence on me."  Rian said, as he nuzzled her neck.  "You give me all sorts of ideas."  He shifted slightly, and slipped his hand under her shirt, and Julia moaned.  "I've been wanting to do this all day."he confessed.

  Julia placed her hand on his thigh, and began to caress him.  "You should have these ideas more often."

  "Mmmmh."

 

~<>~


    That night, he dreamt about her again, the girl he had seen in the Unicorn's vision.  A girl with hair of midnight and laughing blue eyes.

    Bella.

  And in his nightmare, those laughing blue eyes would suddenly cloud over as tears slipped down her cheeks.

   He woke slowly, not wanting to leave the fading dream, sure that this time, he could reach both of them.  Reach Julia, reach Bella.  Inevitably his mind always kicked in though, and pushed the dream out of his reach.  Fully awake now, he could feel the warmth of Julia behind him, snuggled up, her arm slung around him, just like always, as physically close to him as she could be without actually being on top of him.  She didn't like to be apart from him, even in her sleep, and truthfully, he felt the same.

  He closed his eyes, and willed himself back to sleep, but it didn't work, his mind was too busy spinning with all his thoughts.  Bella.  He knew her name, the Unicorn's vision had revealed it to him, revealed that he was the father of that beautiful child, he did not know how that could be, it seemed impossible, and yet...

  Still, in that same vision, he had heard her call out "Dad!", his Bella did, and he had tried to get to her, to respond to her call, but he couldn't move, he was frozen.  Instead, a man would appear... 

  Rian could hear her sobs; and his daughters words pierced his heart every single time. "I miss my daddy, I wish he was here. She missed her dad, missed Rian, but it was that man who would come and comfort her.

  It happened every single night.

  Without fail.

  He first had the dream, the night he had seen the Unicorn's vision. The dream never changed, he was always trying to reach his daughter, trying to call out her name, to let her know that he was there, that she need not cry; but his body was always frozen, and she could never hear him.  Rian was always forced to watch, his voice silenced.   Forced to watch helplessly as his daughter sobbed, forced to watch as that man comforted her like a father would, and smile at her, and she would smile in return. And...her smile, so much like her mother's, it could light the night sky. It was sheer agony to watch.

  He thumped his pillow.  He didn't know why he kept torturing himself with such dreams, and he wished he could put the vision behind him, but he couldn't.  Perhaps it was his own subconscious just wanting what he thought he could never have.  Children with Julia, the woman who had stormed his walls and captured his heart.  If only they could have a normal life, one filled with children, and a home, and all the things that others took for granted.  If only...


~<>~


  Julia carefully disentangled herself from Rian's embrace.  He had slept fitfully once again, so she didn't want to wake him when it seemed that he was finally sleeping peacefully.  She could have stayed in bed with him forever, but her stomach had other ideas, it roiled within her like a black cauldron.  What the h*ll had she eaten last night anyway?

  She covered her mouth with her hand and made a beeline for the bathroom.  She fell in front of the toilet just as her stomach erupted.

  Sushi.

  That's what she had eaten.

  After flushing the toilet, brushing her teeth, and vowing never to eat Sushi again, Julia checked on Rian, but he was still sound asleep.  She briefly thought about joining him again, but her stomach chose that moment to rumble, and rumble loudly.

  Suddenly, she was starving, like she could happily gnaw on the kitchen table leg kind of starving.

  She flicked the radio on as she passed by, pausing only long enough to switch it to her favorite station.  Humming along with the tunes she dug around in the fridge, looking for something to eat.  She ended up with an odd assortment for breakfast.  She had some pickles, some cheese, some leftover cherry pancakes, and a container of peach yogurt.  She even managed to eat all of it in record time.

  Her ears perked up as her favorite song came on, and she couldn't resist the urge...

   ...she just had to get her smustle on.

 
  Jack's voice startled her.  "You're doing it all wrong."

  She twirled around, and clapped three times, before twirling around again.  "Oh yeah?"  She challenged him.  "You think you can do better?"

  Jack rolled his eyes.  "I am a very proficient dancer."

  "Since when?"  Julia puffed.  "All you do is sit in your lab all day."

  "Au contraire."  Jack said.  "Sometimes I need to burn off some excess energy, and it helps clear my mind, which enables me to problem solve better. In fact," Jack warmed up to his subject, "many studies show that physical activity..."

  Julia interrupted him, she needed to derail that train of thought of his.  "Put your actions where your mouth is, cause otherwise you're full of hot air Uncle Jack."

  "You asked for it."

 

   "Oh yeah!"  Jack crowed.  "Oh yeah!" 

  Julia laughed, "Oh yeah, well, watch this!"  Julia did some hip bumps, then twirled around fast enough to make herself dizzy, and clapped twice.

  "Amateur!"  Jack accused.  "This is how you do it properly!"  He proceeded to show her his fancy moves, even bending backwards and touching the floor.

  "Oh yeah?  Well watch this..."  Julia was so intent on their dance off, she didn't even hear Rian, until she nearly elbowed him when he unexpectedly came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her.  "Rian!"  She squeaked.

 "You're pretty cute while...dancing." he mumbled sleepily against her neck.  "Neither one of you can really dance, though."

  "What!?"  She said in mock anger.

 

  Rian gently spun her around.  "I'll show you how to dance."  He murmured.

  Jack groaned, he knew where this was headed.  "I'm out of here." he said as he left the room, though Jack didn't know why he bothered saying anything at all.  They weren't paying any attention to him at all.

  "Really?"  Julia purred.  "Do tell."

  "I'm not much for talking, " he teased her.  "I'm a guy of action."

  "Oooh baby, you sound like my kind of guy.  I love me some action."

   A grumbly voice interrupted their moment.  "What the h*ll is this sh*t?"

  "Grumpa, that's called music."

  "Humph."  Colin snorted.  "They'll call anything music these days."

  Julia chuckled.  "Now you're sounding old."

  "Old?!"  Colin glared at her.  "Squirt, you better f*cking watch yourself there."

  Rian and Julia grinned at each other.  "Whatever you say Grumpa."  Julia said. 


__________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes: Yay---happy chapter. <3 Also---sappy, sorry!  I had too much fun with it, plus I discovered Photoshop Actions, and how to use them, so I was experimenting with that.  I'm getting there, lol

  So Gen 9 has officially taken over. Gen 8's rolls weren't very hard; and have been completed. It's been so long since I rolled for Gen 9 though, that I didn't remember what the generational and misc goals were, since Julia's story wasn't really dependent on those 2 rolls.  I could have sworn I had saved it as a draft---but I probably got them mixed up with the other half a dozen stories I do, lol  It has now been saved though---so long as Blogger doesn't eat my draft I'm in good shape! :)

  I just re-rolled those 2, and I rolled Joker for the misc.  The generational goal will be revealed later on, as will the other rolls.  Her career you all could possibly guess at, since I have hinted at it in previous chapters.

 
It's the calm before the storm, because life is about to change for them...

  Thanks for reading!  Questions/Comments are welcome, I will even attempt to answer them in a timely manner this time, lol  Thanks all for your patience...sometimes I am a bit poky!!