Chapter 93: Live Well

  Warning: Language; violence


   Julia glared at the guards who dared to stand between her and where she needed to be.

  Earlier that morning, her father had come into her room; Julia hadn't needed to ask what was wrong, it had been plainly written all over him, in the paleness of his face, and the tension in his body; his words had only confirmed it.  "She's here, I've arranged a meeting, on the mountain."

  Julia had simply nodded.  She had wished Rian was there, but he had already left, claiming he had something important to do.  She would have questioned him further, to find out what this important thing of his was that he'd had to do it alone, but Jack had come in at that moment, prattling on to her about something and Rian had slipped away.  She wished Rian hadn't been so adverse to carrying around a cell phone, at least then she could have contacted him that way.  Perhaps it was for the best though, this way she knew he would be out of danger.

  At least her mother was still at work, and for that she was glad.  They had all agreed beforehand, without letting her mother know of course, that Skye should be left behind.  As much as Julia loved her mother, she knew that her mother would be more of a hindrance than a help; especially since Raven, Julia refused to think of her as her grandmother, was known to use people as pawns to get her way.  That is what her mother would be, a pawn, wielded against Julia's father.  She didn't want her mother hurt, or her Uncle Jack, who was pretty clueless himself, very similar to her mother. Uncle Jack was probably still locked up in his lab like usual, totally unaware that they had left the house. That was probably for the best too.

   Julia didn't know how the others wanted to deal with the a*sholes that were in the way, but she had her own ideas.  It started with her kicking some a*s using her powers, and ended with her happily ever after with Rian.

  Unfortunately, things weren't going according to the script in her head.  No matter how hard she tried, her powers seemed to be useless against them.  It was seriously starting to p*ss her off. 

  She growled in frustration. Why the h*ll wasn't it working?  Those buffoons should have been plastered against the cliff; but not only were they still upright and conscious, they were smirking at her too.  Smirking.  Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she tried to push past whatever it was that was blocking her, but her efforts were useless.  They still stood there, unharmed.

  "Having troubles Princess?"  One of them hissed in amusement.

  She glared.  Princess?  She'd Princess his a*s.  Maybe she couldn't use her powers to throw them around like ragdolls, but she sure as h*ll could still kick their a*s the old fashioned way.  She tensed, ready to push past the others for the chance to beat the sh*t out of the pr*cks, it would certainly make her feel better.  She hesitated when she felt her father's hand on her shoulder.  "Protection spell of some sort."  He said softly.  "Probably magnified by a nearby magical container object of some kind.  With enough time and effort, we could push past it, but that's just a waste of our energy, and that's probably why my mother set it, so that it would drain us before we even get to her."

  Julia didn't care, she didn't need her powers; all she had to do was get a hold of one of them, and she would wipe that sh*tty sneer from their face with her fists; all with a great amount of pleasure.

  Julia smiled when she heard her Grumpa speak up in his pleasant I'm going to kill you voice.  Great minds think alike.  "We can f*cking do this the easy way, or the f*cking hard way.  F*cking make my day a*sholes, pick the hard f*cking way."  As always, she and her Grumpa, they were on the same page.

 
  Rhys rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles.  "I've got this."  He said confidently.  "I'll hold them off, you guys go on ahead and get Julia to where she needs to be."

  "You think you can single handedly take on all of us."  One of the guards scoffed.

  "Of course not."  Rhys said off handedly.  "I know I can."  With lightning speed, Rhys attacked, and put action to his words. 

 

  Julia noticed there were more guards coming up from behind; she was sure it was a trap set up by Raven.  While Rhys was more than holding his own, she wasn't sure he could handle that many guards.  "There's more coming!"  She yelled.  "Behind us, they're trying to trap us!"

  Colin whirled around.  "I see them."  He narrowed his gaze. "F*cking bring it on."

   "Go!"  Rhys shouted out to the others.  "I've got this!"

  "All of this?"  Julia questioned.

  Rhys grinned, his pointy teeth flashing in the sunlight.  "I've got this."  He slammed two of the guards' heads together, and kicked one in the stomach, "Go kick some a*s."

  Hawk grabbed his daughter and started for the cave, Colin trailed after them.  "Sh*t."  Colin complained.  "Just when it was getting interesting."

  "It'll be plenty interesting inside."  Hawk said darkly.

 

 

  The cave was pitch black and damp.  "You know where you're going, right Dad?"

  "Trust me."  Hawk replied, and Colin snorted.  Hawk ignored him though, and felt along the walls, searching.  "There should be a switch right about...here!" He said triumphantly as he flipped a switch and the cave lit up with a soft glow.

  Julia looked in dismay at the maze of tunnels before them.  "There's so many!"

  "I know the way."  Hawk reassured her.  "Come on, I've been here many times before."

  "When?"  Colin asked suspiciously.

  "A long time ago."  Hawk answered.  "But I remember the way."  Hawk started to follow the third tunnel to the left.  "She'll be waiting for us."  He warned.

  "I'm ready for the b*tch."  Colin growled.

  "I'll detain my mother." Hawk carefully reminded his father in law.  "While you help Julia find the cell that holds Medraut."  He paused for a moment. "I sure wish that Rian was here, we could have used him."  Hawk grumbled under his breath.  "What good is he as a Guardian if he isn't even here?"

   Julia didn't respond to her father's words, she wished Rian was here as well.  There was just something so...calming about him.  They walked silently, further and further down the tunnel, it was starting to get warm enough that she was thinking of shedding her jacket.  A voice that sent shivers up her spine halted that thought. "Well, well, well, it appears my company has finally arrived.  Hawk, I am pleased to see that you have brought our guests to me, I have something very special planned, for a very special guest, a gift you could say."  She cackled in amusement.

  Hawk stopped dead in his tracks, he held a cautious hand behind him, and hoped that Colin would remember their plan. His mother was unimportant; what was important was that Julia stopped Medraut.  All of their lives depended on it.  He turned to face his mother.  "Mother."

  Raven tsked.  "My dear boy, while I am pleased that you have obediently brought me the guests I so desired, I am most aggrieved by your lack of...communication over the years."  She looked Julia over.  "I expected a grandson, it seems you have failed me there as well, by having a...daughter?"  She frowned, but then smiled when she noticed Colin glaring at her from behind Hawk.  She spoke directly to Colin.  "We have some...unfinished business, you and I."

  Colin fought with himself, he wanted to tear her f*cking head off.  It was because of her that he had lost Ivory.  The creature standing in front of him was the cause of a lot of pain and misery, and he was ready to take the b*tch out.  He tensed, and saw Hawk slightly shake his head no.  F*ck.  Plan.  There was a f*cking plan, and he had to f*cking stick with it.  Sh*t.  His fingers itched, and he gritted his teeth.  Plan.  He would follow the f*cking plan even if it killed him. 

  "Get out of my way."  Julia interrupted, she could feel her powers flare to life inside her.  She didn't have time for this nonsense, she wanted this finished so she could go home and live her life.

  "Precocious."  Raven laughed coldly.  "How quaint.  I see that you have failed to teach her proper respect.  It hardly matters."  She waved her hand.  "I shall see to it myself."

 

  "You. Can. Kiss. My. A*s."  Julia said, as she stepped forward, ready to do battle.  She had felt a small amount of anxiety in the beginning, when Raven had first confronted them, but now, thinking of all the harm the b*tch had caused her and her family; the heat of Julia's anger had blown that all away.  She was more than ready to end this thing once and for all.

  Hawk briefly closed his eyes and sighed.  Julia was too impetuous, and it was up to him to put things back on target.  They had a plan, one that he hoped would work.  All he had to do was stay alive long enough for Julia to fulfill her destiny.  He stepped in front of his daughter.  "She already knows everything she needs."  He told his mother.

  Raven raised one eyebrow.  "Is that so?"  How dare her son speak that way to her?  Obviously, he had been away from her influence far too long, and he was in need of a lesson himself.  A lesson on his place in the world, which was, and would always be, under her foot.  She probed at his mind, and found it closed off, she probed harder, but still found resistance in him.  "What are you hiding?'  She hissed.

  "I love you Julia."  Hawk said quietly.  "If I don't make it out of here, tell your mother I love her too, and I am sorry, for all of it.  Now go, take that passage on the right, it should lead you to Medraut."

  Julia stared at her father.  "Daddy?  What do you mean if?"

 

    Raven started cackling again.  "Oh, this is just perfect!"  She pointed at her son.  "You weak minded idiot, I'm ashamed that you are of my blood.  Love!"  She spat venomously.  "You stupid imbecile!  How dare you!"

  She bent her full force on Hawk's mind, and he grimaced at the onslaught.  "Go Julia, now!"

  Julia sent a fireball towards Raven, which caused Raven to temporarily stop her attack on Hawk.  Raven effortlessly pushed the fireball away, and sneered.  "Is that all you were taught child?  Pathetic!  We will change all of that, I promise you."  She advanced towards Julia, but Colin had already grabbed Julia's arm and pulled her into the tunnel.

  Raven watched them disappear from sight, and then turned her attention back to Hawk. She would deal with them later, first she had to take care of her son. Her defiant, disobedient son.   "You betrayed me."

  Hawk had used the few moments of Raven's inattention to gather his strength, now he needed to do his part and give Julia as much time as he could.  "Yes."

  "And you will pay with your life."

  Hawk readied himself.  "I know."

  Raven cocked her head slightly.  "I will have your secrets, ripped from your skull, and there will be nothing left of you, but a husk that will obey my every word.  What do you think the girl...Julia?  Isn't that what you called her?  What do you think she'll think of you then? You pitiful worm.  How tempting to crush you now, and leave you to rot in this cave.   I'll need you alive though,"  Raven said with relish, "so that I can test her...obedience to me."

  "You cannot break her."  Hawk said.

  Raven laughed again, her reptilian eyes filled with poisonous hate.  "I can break anyone."  With those words she attacked.

 

  The tunnel that Julia was running down with her grandfather ended up not being very long in comparison to the other tunnel they had been in.  It opened up into a large room, the center of which held a pool so dark she couldn't see her reflection in it.  "Where now?"  She asked him.  As far as she could see, the room was a dead end, yet her father had told her this was the way to go.  Thinking of her father almost caused her to cry, but she pushed the feeling away.  She had to concentrate on the here and now, she would think about the other things later.

  Colin frowned as he looked around. "H*ll if I know."   It appeared to be filled with a bunch of useless sh*t, statues, both large and small, empty pedestals, and dusty bags filled with maps and books.  He quickly searched through them, but didn't find anything of interest, and threw them aside.  There must be a secret door or something.  He walked over to one of the walls, and began to search with his fingers.  "F*ck, there has to be something..." he muttered under his breath.

  "Hey, Grumpa, come over here and look at this!  Doesn't Uncle Jack have one of these in his lab?"

  Colin walked over to where Julia was, and looked at the contraption she had found in a far, back corner.  "Yeah, I think he does.  What the h*ll did he call it though?"

 
  "Some kind of..."  His voice trailed off as he realized he really didn't remember what Jack had said about the machine he had built.  "Sh*t!"

  Julia grinned at him.  "I know, I know, I didn't pay close enough attention either."  She frowned at it.  "I vaguely recall him saying something about travel though.  Maybe it's like an elevator?"  She postulated.  "It could be the way out of here."

  Colin nodded.  "It's worth a try."  He pointed at what appeared to be a panel filled with buttons.  "Which button should we push?"

  "Well, that's obvious."  Julia stated.  "All of them, one by one, until it does something."

  "Hmph."  Colin shook his head.  "Not the safest of plans, but what the h*ll, you only f*cking live once, right?"

  "Right!"  Julia whole-heartedly agreed.  "Let's start with this one."  Julia pushed a button, but nothing happened.  "Okay, well, how about this one..."

 
  Rhys grunted as a fist connected with his side; he jabbed an elbow into the offending person, and kicked another oncoming guard.  The bodies were steadily piling up around him, but he was slowly making some headway, he hoped anyway.  He may not be able to move for a week after all was said and done, but in this moment, he was feeling glorious, and he wished that Reilly was around to see him; protecting the family, just like he had promised so long ago.




  Hawk drew in a painful breath after the first wave of fire had ceased.  He knew his mother well enough to know that she would draw his death out, make it is painful as possible, in fact, he had even counted on it.  Every moment she spent on him, was more time for Julia.

  He gathered himself once more.

  
  "You are no match for me boy."

  "We shall see."  Hawk said with a confidence he did not feel.

  "Idiot!"  She screamed.  "You disgust me, you and your pathetic attempts to save that family.  It is all for nothing!"  She yelled furiously.  "Nothing!  I put a lot of time and effort into you, and for what?  For you to throw it all away?  In the name of love?"  She spit the word love out.  "I will win in the end, it has been foreseen in the prophecy!"

  "Perhaps Mother,"  Hawk stated calmly, though he felt anything but calm, "You are wrong in your interpretations, and that is why you have never won against this family.  Your rage against Ethan has blinded you to this truth."  Hawk could feel the scorch of her gaze, and knew this next one was going to hurt.  He braced himself as best he could against the next wave, the more she exerted her powers, the better for Julia.  Everything he did now, was for her, and for his wife.  He quickly shut that thought off, he couldn't afford to think of Skye right now.

  "I should have known that your father's weakness would eventually show up in you."  She said coldly.  "He was a miserable failure too."

  Even though Hawk was expecting the blast, even so, when it hit, it hit hard, with the force of an atomic bomb.

 
  Julia was still pushing buttons, but none of them were giving her the results she wanted.  "D*mn!  How the h*ll does this thing work?"

  "Let me try."  Before Colin could, the door suddenly slid open, and an eerie purple light spilled out.

  "I did it!"  Julia exclaimed gleefully.

  "You sure did."  Colin agreed.  "But what the h*ll did you do?  That's the question."

  Julia shrugged.  "I don't know.  Let's find out."

  "Julia wait!"  He reached out to stop her, but just barely missed her, and she disappeared into the purple light.  "Sh*t!"  He immediately tried to follow her, but just as suddenly as the door had slid open, it slid shut, leaving him behind.  "F*ck!"  He pounded on the door.  "F*cking door open!"  Cursing under his breath, he started punching at the keys, trying to find the one she had pushed that had opened the door to begin with.

  With zero luck.  "F*ck.  F*ck.  F*ck.  Piece of sh*t machinery, open the f*ck up!"  He pushed more buttons, but still nothing.  He was starting to get really p*ssed.  He kicked at the door, but only succeeded in hurting his foot.  "F*ck!"  He hollered, and his voice echoed back.

  He was alone.




  It had been a rough day at work, she had been plagued by a growing uneasiness, and that compounded with everything she touched going wrong...it made Skye glad that it was a Friday, it gave her a couple of days to recover before she had to go back to her students.  When she walked into the house, the eerie silence hit her like a brick wall.  "Hello?"  she called out.  Usually someone was always at home, so it was odd, and terrifying that no one was answering her call.  She looked through all the rooms, calling out their names one by one, but didn't see anyone, or hear anyone.  She tried calling their cell phones.  No answer.  That was when the panic fully set in.

  She raced for Jack's lab.  "Please be there, please be there."  She chanted as she threw open the door to her brother's work lab.  He was bent over one of his machines, but stood up and walked over to her when she barged in.  "Where are they?"  She demanded.

 

   "Skye, I'm kind of busy right now..."  Jack started to say, but she raised her fist to him, and he sputtered out, "Hey, no cause for violence!  Geez!"

  "Tell me now Jack, or so help me I'll..."

  "I don't know where they are."  He answered.

  Skye gritted her teeth and lunged for him.  "Jack!"

  "Ow!  Skye!  Geez!  I'm telling you, I don't know..."

  "You know something!"  She yelled.  Skye knew she was out of control, but she couldn't help it.  The bad feeling she had been feeling all day, was steadily getting worse, and it was now a full on mother's red alert.  They were supposed to call her if Raven contacted them!  Her baby could be in danger!  She knew Jack knew something, he was just being difficult.  "Jack!"  She shook him, hard.

  "Okay, okay, calm down."  He said nervously.  "I'll tell you what I know."

 

    Rhys wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was starting to get tired.  The non-stop stream of cloned guards were starting to take their toll on him.  They were getting more hits in, and edging closer to the opening of the cave.

  "Give up half breed!  You are losing!"  one taunted.

  It made the mistake of grinning at him too, and Rhys made sure to wipe the grin off its face.  His muscles were protesting now, and his reactions were starting to slow.  Just how many of these things were there anyway?

  It didn't matter.  It was his job to keep them out of the cave, and that was what he was going to do.

 

  The doors slid open, and Julia stepped through; instantly she felt smothered by the malignant darkness; she pulled in a painful breath, gasping for air, and fought to keep herself calm.  Now she knew what a panic attack must feel like, this strangling on air.  She could feel an evilness gather around her, crowd her. The doors slid shut behind her, and she whirled around.  "Grumpa?"  She croaked out, but he wasn't there.

  She was alone.

  "Julia."

  Or just maybe she wasn't alone in this h*llish place after all.





  It was his sixth sense that had caused him to duck, and that saved his head, along with his life, as he felt the breeze of a knife go over his head.  Instinctively, Colin whirled around and knocked the knife out of his assailant's hand, but then stared at her, stunned.  "Ivory?"  he whispered, shocked.

  She looked like his Ivory, but her eyes, her eyes were dead, she was covered in blood, and she showed no recognition of him.

 

   She dove for the knife, but Colin kicked it out of the way, and it skittered across the floor and fell into the pool behind them. She howled like a feral wolf, and attacked him with her right round kick, which Colin blocked.

  Sh*t.  His brain was on auto-pilot, trying to process what was before him, but he couldn't believe what was before him.  She was dead?  Wasn't she?!  Maybe she was a clone of some sort, much like the guards he had seen outside.  Whatever she was, she still fought like his Ivory had, and he was able to block her moves.  He knew each one of them intimately, which immediately brought to mind some of his favorite memories, which caused him to momentarily lose focus, and almost lose his head again.

  "F*ck, focus Colin."  He couldn't help but remember the last time they had fought, and how it had gone all horribly wrong.  "Ivory, are you in there?"  He asked her in between defensive blocks.  He didn't want to hurt her, but she obviously had no compunction against hurting him.




  The blast of his mother's fury hit him square and center, and Hawk started screaming...

  "Rian!"  The darkness seemed a little lighter, and she was able to breath a little easier, just because of his presence.  She ran full bore towards him; nearly knocking them both over in her relief. "I'm so glad you're here." she gasped.

  Despite the heavy air, her words echoed in the room.

  She pulled back from him.  "How exactly did you get here?" 

  Rian pulled a small device out of his pocket.  "This little device is connected to the mainframe computers here, it allows me to transport in and out of this space."  He slid it back into his pocket.

  "And...you didn't tell me about it before...because...?"

  Rian winced.  His next words probably wouldn't go over very well, but they were truth.  "It wasn't necessary that you know, at the time."

  Julia frowned; she would kill him later, but she had more important questions crowding her mind right now. "What is this place?  It feels so..."

  "Evil?"  Rian finished her thought.  "Yes, there is a great evil here, and he's waking up, so we have very little time."

 

  "He?"

  "Medraut.  Not only is this the chamber where I was kept in cryostasis dream sleep, but it has also been his prison."  Rian pointed.

  "That's him?"  Rian nodded.  Julia walked closer to get a better look.  "All of this, for him."  She muttered.  "He's not very impressive looking."

  "Looks can be deceiving."  Rian said.  "He was in cryostasis dream sleep as well.  Cryostasis dream sleep is that time between sleep and wakefulness, where dreams live, so he is not fully awake yet."

  "Hmm."  Julia said non committedly.  She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but what she saw wasn't it.  "What's all of that for?"  Julia indicated the technology that was lit up brighter than a neon sign.

  "It maintains the cryostasis chambers without any input from a person, human or otherwise."

  "So...it kept you alive, and it's keeping him alive?"  Julia clarified.  Rian nodded. She asked him, "How do I shut it down?"  There were an awful lot of buttons that she could push, but somehow the consequences of pushing the wrong one seemed much worse in this case than on that door thing she had used earlier.



  "Jack!?  What's taking you so long?"  Skye asked impatiently.  "Julia is in danger!  Would you hurry up already?!"

  Jack frowned.  "Skye, I'm calibrating the machine, everything must be perfect or...well, you don't want to know what the or is."

 

  "Why?"  Skye demanded.  "Why don't I want to know?  What are you keeping from me Jack?  Jack?  Jack!!"

  "Skye, you're making it hard to concentrate."  Jack complained.  He pointed to a chair.  "Sit would you?  And be quiet for Pete's sake, if I mess this up then everyone dies!  So...just sit!"

  "They could all die?"  Skye whispered.  She sat down in the chair and anxiously watched Jack.  She was so worried; she wished she could do something, anything! This waiting was getting to her.



  "F*ck Ivory, I get that you're p*ssed, but I f*cking swear, I thought you were dead!"

  There was no response from her, but Colin hadn't really expected one.  She hadn't said one word, or even made a noise, since her first attack; she was solely focused on removing his head from his shoulders.  "Sh*t!"  He dodged another one of her kicks, grabbed her arm, and twisted it behind her back.  "Ivory!"  He yelled, "I don't want to f*cking hurt you!"

  She squirmed against him, and he had to remind his body again to stay the f*ck out of the gutter.  "Would you f*cking hold still and be reasonable?"  He snorted at the thought, they had been many things together, but reasonable?  That was unlikely as finding a string of pearls in a sh*tty a*s pig pen.  F*ck.  She tried to bite him, and he cursed again.  "Would you f*cking hold still you little she-cat, sh*t! If I had known you were f*cking alive, I swear nothing would have stopped me from finding you.  Nothing.  I didn't know Ivory, I swear, I..."

  She hissed at him, her eyes spitting fire at him.  D*mned if she still didn't turn him on though, he must be f*cked in the head.



  "Shutting it down is relatively simple, it's just the press of a button."  Rian answered quietly.  "As long as you shut it down before that timer," Rian pointed to a countdown clock on the console, "runs out."

 

     "What happens if the timer runs out first?"  Julia was curious.  How odd to have a timer in the first place.  Was it set to blow the place up or something?  How ridiculous.  

  "Medraut fully wakes, and resumes his full powers."  Rian said simply.  "The chance to stop him is forever lost."

  "Forever lost?"  She shook her head.  "This is all so stupid.  I wish that ancestor of mine had simply killed the evil dude and been done with it!"

  Rian sighed.  "He loved Medraut, and couldn't bear to destroy him; he hoped that with some time, perhaps Medraut would see the error of his ways, and change."

  Julia shook her head.  "Somehow I get the feeling that old Medraut there isn't going to turn over a new leaf.  So this becomes my problem."

  "Raven was led to believe that the child of prophecy would bring Medraut back, she never realized the truth.  If she had known, you would not be here."  Rian said.  "You were the one chosen to stop him, I do not know why. I wish I could give you a better reason, but whatever your ancestor's reasons were, they are buried with him."

  "So, if I do nothing, he lives."

  "Yes."

  "Well, then."  Julia said matter of factly.  "Let's finish this, where is that button thing?"  Rian gently spun her around, and pointed it out.

  "It is coded to you, all you need to do is push it, the programming will do the rest."

 

  "Got it!"  Jack shouted triumphantly.

  "It's about time!"  Skye said crossly.  "Now what?"

  "Now I bring them home."  Jack answered.  "In a particular order though, Ethan was very clear about that."

  "Who is Ethan?"

  Jack waved his hand.  "A mentor.  Here we go, I've locked on, let's hope this thing works!"

  "Hope?!"

  The machine hummed to life, and Jack wanted to dance for joy, but he contained himself.  Plenty of time for victory dancing later, first he had to rescue his family.  "We've got incoming!"

 




  Well, h*ll, he was out of options.  Maybe his base self had had the better idea.  With nothing to lose, he put his haphazard plan into place.  He quickly pinned Ivory against a wall, and kissed her.  Hard.  She fought like a wild cat at first, trying to claw at his face, but he held her hands, keeping her long a*s fingernails away from him.  He persevered in his kiss, he knew her, knew her body as well as his own, and he throughly enjoyed using his knowledge against her.  The years melted away, like they had never been apart; he felt her soften, and then she was kissing him back.  He released her hands, and she used them to pull his head closer to her.

  It felt like coming home.

  Silently they pulled apart, and stared at each other.  "Romeo?" she whispered, confused.

  "Angel, you're back."  Colin said, relieved.  "I..." he started to say, but was cut off when Ivory grabbed her head and started screaming.  "Angel?  What the h*ll?  What the f*ck..."

  Still she screamed.  Colin did the only thing he could think of, he used his lifeguard training, and knocked her out.  She went limp in his arms, and he hefted her up.  F*ck.  Now what?  Ivory was out cold, and Julia was still missing.  Before he could move, a bright white enveloped him.

   And he found himself standing in Jack's lab, still holding Ivory in his arms.

  "Daddy?!" 

  "What the h*ll?"

  "It worked!  Woohoo!"  Jack cheered, and then he stopped when he noticed his dad was holding someone.  "Who's that?"

  "Your mother."  Colin ignored the stunned faces of his kids, and gently laid Ivory down.  Her eyes opened, and she stared at him, mutely.  He almost wished she would scream again, her look of utter terror was f*cking unnerving.  Without taking his eyes off of Ivory, Colin asked his son, "Jack, tell me what the h*ll is going on, and I want it in plain speech."

  Jack cleared his throat.  "I built a machine. It can transport people, and I transported you back home.  I wasn't expecting...I thought our mom was dead."

  "So did I."  Colin said shortly.  "Jack, continue."

  "Dad, we don't have time for the long version, I have to get the others out too, or they are going to die."

  Ivory still hadn't said a word, but her eyes went back and forth between Jack and Skye.  "Ivory, I'm going to go see what Jack is doing, our son, you just..."  Colin faltered.  Sh*t.  Everything was so f*cked up, but Ivory was back.  She looked the same, other than the blood spatters that still covered her.  She would probably want to take a shower, but first things first.  Jack.  "You just stay there, and h*ll, make sure you f*cking behave yourself." he finally muttered, before walking away to see what Jack was up to.

  "Mom?"  Skye said, still in shock.  "I can't believe..."

  "Jack, what the f*ck are you doing?"

 

    "I have to calibrate the machine for each person.  I center on their life signature, and, well, it's a bit complicated to explain, but everything must be perfect or I'll end up scrambling them.  Not a pretty sight.  It just takes time."

  Colin watched Jack for a moment before asking, "You can get Julia out?"

  "Yeah, but she's last in line."

  "What?!"  Skye screeched as Colin said, "Why?"

  Jack covered his ears.  "Skye, you're killing me over here!"

  "I'm going to kill you if you don't bring my daughter back right now!"

  Jack sighed.  "I can't, at least, not yet."  His fingers went back to the keyboard, and he began typing again.  "Trust me, I know what I'm doing."  I hope, he added the last two words silently.

 

  The darkness was pressing in close to her, she was finding it difficult to push the button, her hand hovered it.  It should be so easy, but it wasn't.

  "Push the button Julia."  Rian said, his voice right by her ear.  "Then you can leave this place, and live out the rest of your life."

  She turned towards him, something in the way he said the words caused her heart to momentarily stop beating.  "Our life, not just mine, right?  We're leaving this place together, and living happily ever after...right?  Rian?"  Rian hesitated, and Julia knew for certain, something was terribly wrong.




  The machine hummed to life again, Jack was getting better at calibrating his machine.  He slid the lever, next on the list was his brother in law.

 

  Hawk didn't materialize the way that Jack expected though.  He wasn't standing, he was lying slumped on the floor, in a fetal position, lifeless.

  Skye started crying.  "Hawk!"

  "Sh*t."  Colin cursed, and jumped into action.  He checked Hawk's vital signs, and while they were weak, they were still there.

  "Dad, I hate to be indelicate, but he needs to be moved before I can bring anyone else back."

  Colin nodded, and carefully dragged Hawk a little ways away from Jack's machine.  Skye followed, sobbing, and collapsed on the floor next to Hawk.

  "Daddy, what's wrong with him?"  She cried.  "He looks dead!  I can't lose him like this!"  She wailed.  "Hawk!  Hawk, please, speak to me.  Please..."

 

  Colin interrupted her, "Skye, he's breathing, he's still alive, but barely.  Call 911, he needs more attention than I can give him."

  Skye nodded tearfully, and pulled out her cell phone.




  "Spill it."  Julia demanded.  "Now."

  Rian sighed, heavily.  "Julia..."

  "Don't you dare try to put me off."  She warned him.  "What aren't you telling me?"

  Rian pulled her in closer to him, and Julia leaned into him.  She could smell the beach on him, and cherries, from that silly scented soap he insisted on using; because he loved cherries.

 

  He shuddered, and Julia, for the first time in her life, felt afraid, really afraid.  "Rian, talk to me." she whispered.

  "I don't know how to say it."  He confessed sadly.  "I've tried to say the words, so many times, but...I just couldn't get them out.  And now, now, Julia we have so little time, you have to push that button, and save you, your family, and our worlds.  I would do it for you, if I could."

  "What aren't you saying?"

  "Julia."  His body trembled again.  "I never imagined someone like you."  He said slowly.  "You are my sun, my joy, my heart, but Julia, I cannot go with you."




    My pretty Pet, what a disappointment you turned out to be.  Never fear precious, I was obviously too easy on you before, but I shall rectify that.  You will learn obedience, and hate.  Yes hate.  When I am done with you, you will hate his very name... Ivory sat up suddenly, she dug her hands through her hair.  Raven was still in her head.

  "No!"  she screamed, tearing at her face, her hair, anything, trying to shut out that voice in her mind, Raven's voice, the voice of pain, of hate.  She felt his hands on her own, his voice speaking in her ear, soothing her, and Raven's voice began to recede, until it was so faint Ivory could barely hear it.  She let her hands fall away, her fingers bright red with her own blood.  "I can hear her."  Ivory whimpered.  "She is always there, in my waking nightmares."

  F*ck.  His heart was still f*cking pounding through his chest.  Colin hoped the ambulance came soon, he feared that Ivory needed more help than he could give as well.  He was f*cking useless, and wished more than ever that his dad was here to help.

  "Almost there."  Jack announced.  "This is the trickiest one of all, she's really down deep."  Jack went back to muttering under his breath as he fiddled with his settings, and checked his calculations.

  Ivory began to feel an intense pain, it started deep within her bones, and radiated outwards; and it was rapidly growing in strength.  She opened her mouth, to speak, to let him know, but a howl emerged instead.

  Colin watched in horror as Ivory began to swiftly age right before his eyes, and he was powerless to stop it, powerless to help her.




   Rian looked down, he couldn't bear to meet her eyes.  "What do you mean you can't come with me?"  Julia demanded to know.

  
   "Julia, I am tied to this place as much as he is.  It was the only way Ethan could keep me alive, without stealing the life from others like Raven and her ilk do.  He used the same source that keeps Medraut alive, to keep me alive, so our fates are intertwined."

  Julia stared at him.  "Which means, I push that button, and..."

  "I will die along with Medraut."

  Julia shook her head.  "No.  That's unacceptable.  There must be another way."

  Rian looked up at her.  "Julia."  She shook her head mutinously.  "Julia, I..."  Rian choked up, and then tried to speak again.  "It is, what it is, there is no changing it.  I can accept my fate, I gladly, willingly lay my life down for you..."

 She closed her eyes.  "No, no, no, it's not supposed to happen this way!"

 

  She opened her eyes and looked straight up at him.  "Rian, there has to be something we can do.  Why didn't you tell me this earlier?  Jack could have..."

  "No Jack couldn't have."  Rian said gently.  "Everything has unfolded as it needed to, as it had to, for the best possible future. I have had more happiness than I deserved, or ever thought possible, in the time I have spent with you to last a thousand forevers.  Now push that button Julia, let me go, and live, and live well."

  Julia's could feel her heart breaking.  "Rian, I can't!"

  You don't have to...hissed a voice inside Julia's head.  Let me be free, and you can have your heart's desires...

  In a blink, Julia found herself in a different room.  She looked around in wonder as strange creatures, both large and small, in rainbow colors with luminous wings, flew by, graceful as hummingbirds.  She looked down, and noticed she was wearing a long flowing dress, she ran her fingers down the dress, loving the luxurious smoothness of it.  Her hands stopped at her stomach, it was rounded, and she felt a responding kick from inside.  She smiled, and rubbed her swollen stomach.  "Sweet little baby."

  A door opened, and Rian walked in.  He was dressed differently as well, he was tall and handsome as ever, his clothes showed off his powerful muscular body as he strode confidently towards her.  He bowed, and kissed her hand.  "My love."  He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

 

  "Rian, you're alive!"  She said happily, and the joy she felt was overwhelming.  "You're here, with me."

  "Of course, silly."  He said indulgently.  "I'll always be here."

  This could be your future....

  "Rian, we can be together, for always.  That is all I have ever wanted."

  She reached out and touched his cheek.  He felt solid, felt real.

  His lips moved, but the words made no sense to her.  "It's all a lie, Julia."

  Julia frowned at him, confused. "What's a lie Rian?"

  "This world, this dream, is all a lie Julia.  Look around you, all is not as it seems."

  Julia looked around, and things started changing, getting darker. Bones rattled around her, tortured screams filled the air along with the smell of burning flesh, and she could hear the clank of metal behind her, but she dared not look.  Rian's smile dimmed, and his eyes became devoid of expression.  "Stop!"  Julia screamed.

  You have the power to make it stop...the voice continued.  Julia reached inside herself, and found she did indeed, have power, and lots of it.  She was unstoppable.  Her lips twisted into a facsimile of a smile.

 

   The symphony of screaming continued, but she found that now she liked the sound, it was music to her ears, it was the sound of absolute power.

  You can have it all...the voice whispered again.

  The Rian with the blank eyes, spoke again, his lips moved stiffly, almost as if he found it hard to talk.  "Julia, don't listen to him.  It's a lie."

  "We can be together Rian.  Forever.  And I have power, we can rule..."

  "Only Medraut rules, everyone else is enslaved."  She felt Rian's fingers clumsily touch the side of her face.  "You would become your worst fear, and you would lose everything you hold dear.  For I, and the family you love, would have no choice but to fight against you."

  "You would lose."  She spoke the truth, felt the rightness in the words.

  "Yes, but we would still fight, because the Julia we know and love, would be dead, and in her place, something wicked.  You must choose the right thing Julia, not the easy thing."

  Just as quickly as she found herself in that other place, she was back, in the cryostasis chamber, with Rian, she felt her legs buckle, but his strength held her up.  "I have you Julia."

 

  "For how long Rian."  She felt the tears threaten to fall, but ruthlessly held them back.  She would not cry.  "For how long?  Minutes?  We could have forever..."

  Rian sighed heavily.  "You were not the only one given a vision of temptation, but it was a lie Julia, a pretty lie, but a lie none the less, and you know it.  That man in the vision that Medraut gave to you, could never be me, it is against all that I believe and have fought for.  I know it is the same for you."

  She nodded, slowly.  "It was a happy fairytale though, until the end."

  "Go, do what needs to be done, and then get out of here.  You should have enough time to take the transport back up and..."

  Julia pulled away, whirled around and aggressively punched the button, and then threw herself back into his arms. The howls of Medraut pelted against her mind, but she remembered what her father had taught her, and blocked him.  The time for fairytales was over. "It is still my life, my decision Rian, and you cannot make me go.  I choose to stay here with you.  If we can't be together in life, than we can be together in death."

  Rian groaned.  "Julia, no.  You have to live, for..." 

 

  She cut him off with a kiss.  "I choose to stay with you.  I love you, Rian.  I can't live without you, I just can't, and I won't."



  Rhys faltered when he heard the rumble of the mountain,  the volcano was waking.  It was only his speedy reflexes that saved him from the falling rocks, dirt, and other debris, which buried the entrance into the mountain.  "Sh*t!"  He cursed.   He hoped Jack's idea worked, otherwise Rhys had just witnessed the live burial of the family.

  He also noticed, rather belatedly, that he was no longer having to fight.  He looked around, and all the bodies seemed to have disappeared as well.  "What?"  Rhys muttered.  None of it made any sense, had they all been magical or something?




   "I've got her."  Jack said.  "Incoming in 10, 9, 8..."

  "Spare me the countdown Jack, and bring my daughter home."  Skye said, she was still crouched beside an unmoving Hawk, holding on tightly to his cold hand.  She could hear ambulances in the distance.  "Oh thank God."  she whispered.  It was one of the downsides to living on the less populated side of the island, it took longer for emergency services to reach them.



  "Julia..."

  "No, my mind is made up."  She snuggled against him, she had no regrets.

 

  Rian saw the electrified white light, and breathed a sigh of relief.  "Thank you Jack."  He whispered.

  Julia looked up at him.  "Thank you Jack?"

  "I love you Julia."  He said the words, and then wondered why he hadn't been able to say them before, it was such a minor thing in the grand scheme of life.  She deserved the words.  She deserved love, and family, and joy.  She deserved life.  All of which she could have now.  He could die, at peace, knowing that she lived on.  And Bella with her.  "Tell Bella, I love her, and I wish I could have stayed."  Before she could question him further, he kissed her, one final kiss...

  ...and the light took her away...


  Jack's lab materialized around her.  "Nooooooo!"  Julia screamed, grief overwhelmed her like a black tidal wave.  One moment she had been with Rian, content and at peace with her decision, and the next, here, in this lab.  Instantly her eyes took in the machine, and she knew that was the way to get back, to get back to Rian.  Without thinking, without planning, without even knowing how she was doing it, she summoned all the power she had left inside her, and used it to freeze everyone where they were. 

  No one could stop her from going back to Rian where she belonged. She ran for the control panel, but hit a brick wall.  "D*mn it!"  she cursed, she had forgotten all about her grandfather, who was immune to her power.

 

   "Let me go Grumpa!"  She yelled.

  "I can't Julia."

  She tried to overpower him physically, but it got her nowhere, he was unmovable.  "Let me go!  Let me go!"  She shouted angrily, desperately.  "I have to go back Grumpa!  I have to!"  Julia was marginally aware that she was slipping into hysteria, but she didn't care.  She didn't care about anything other than getting back to Rian.

  "Julia, calm down and listen..."

   "Nooooo!" Tears started pouring down her face.  "Let me go Grumpa, please!  If you love me, you'll let me go!!"

  Colin looked at her sadly, "It's because I love you Squirt, that I won't let you go."

 
   "I'll go when you're not looking!"  She threatened.  "I'll use that machine, and I'll..."

  "Transport yourself into a rock."

  "I don't care!" She spat.

  "Lucky for you girl, I f*cking do."  Colin growled.  He turned around and used his fists to smash Jack's machine into bits, Julia started screaming and hitting him with her fists.

  "No!  Stop!"

  Colin didn't stop until the deed was done, and his knuckles were bruised and bleeding.

  "I hate you."  She sobbed, sinking to her knees.  "I hate you!"

  Colin sighed.  "I know you do."  Jack's cry of distress alerted Colin to the fact that Julia had released everyone from the hold she had put on them.  He could hear the emergency responders just outside the house.

  He ran a hand over his face.  It had been a b*tch of day.


___________________________________________________________________________________

  Notes:  Well, then, not too much I can say after all of that.  I hope I didn't lose you all as I tried to weave together all those different scenes that were taking place simultaneously.

  So, I'll just clarify a few things.

  1.  Yes, Ivory is alive.  In my mind, Raven used her life sucking powers on other people to give Ivory back part of her life, such as it was. It was also what kept her (Ivory, Raven, and earlier on even Hawk) looking young, but obviously is not the nice guy way of staying young, lol

  2. Yes, Rian is dead, and not coming back.  I know I have penchant for bringing back characters, but it is central to the rest of the story, that Rian stay dead.  I felt really bad for Julia too, because I killed him in game using MC, and she cried and cried and cried...  :/ 

  3.  Yes, Raven, Medraut, all those bad guys, they're all gone.  Once Medraut's life support system (if you can call it that, lol) was pulled, he died, by asphyxiation I like to think.  A rather macabre thought, but there you have it.  Ha!  Once he was cut off from his life support, Raven lost her powers, since her powers were dependent on him, he was the source, you could say.  Once she lost her powers, all the magical clones disappeared.  lol  Who thinks of this stuff?  Oh yeah, I do! :P  Anyway, then they were all buried under the mountain/volcano.

  4.  What about Hawk?  Next chapter, we'll find out what happened with him.  Mean, I know, sorry.  Maybe.  lol

  5.  Yes, Jack is despondent.  His whole life's work---smashed to smithereens, so that Julia wouldn't use it.  Ever.  Whatever will he do with himself?  Well, I have plans, it's about time to get poor Jack out of that lab!!

  6.  I may or may not have been influenced by the 80s and the "big red button" lol  Ah, the good old 80s, it was a fun time to grow up in.  Now that I've dated myself...

  7. Thanks for reading!  Any questions?  Comments?  

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!!