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ADJUSTMENTS
This story is based on the action as seen in aired episodes 607/608, and 612:
The vampire Angelique rejects her victim, Joe Haskell, in favor of another
victim - Barnabas Collins. Joe, blaming Angelique for the ruin of his life,
stabs himself. Angelique panics, summons Barnabas, and orders him to kill Joe,
then dump his body in the woods. Barnabas, unable to do as Angelique orders,
defies her and takes Joe back to the Old House, telling Julia he found Joe,
already injured, in the woods. They begin to care for Joe at the Old House
after Barnabas insists that the police not be involved, which is what would
happen if Joe were taken to a hospital.
Julia, as yet unaware that Barnabas is victim to a vampire, leaves Barnabas to
care for Joe while she gets some rest. Barnabas hears the dogs howling and
knows Angelique is summoning him. He agonizes over whether he should answer
her or stay to care for Joe. Unable to resist Angelique, Barnabas leaves the
Old House, sneaking past Julia who naps in the drawing room, to meet Angelique
in the woods. This leaves Harry Johnson free to sneak into the house and place
the poison in Joe's medicine, as ordered by Nicholas Blair.
WHAT IF Barnabas had been able to resist Angelique's summons long enough so
she came to him at the Old House...
Collins watched while Julia Hoffman walked toward the door of Josette's
room. She too could hear the dogs howling, thinking the vampire was trying to
summon her patient, Joe Haskell. It was not Joe the vampire summoned, but
Julia did not know that. Barnabas hoped she would never learn the truth; he
did not want Julia to know it was Barnabas himself to whom the vampire called;
he did not want Julia to know who that vampire was, not ever.
It had not been so long ago, a few weeks only, since their roles were
reversed; since Julia was Tom Jennings' victim and Barnabas was struggling to
keep her from answering his summons; doing all he could to keep Julia safe and
keep her alive. He'd nearly failed, and now, when he needed Julia's help the
most, he could not ask it of her, he could not do anything but keep her from
learning the identity of the vampire. For her own safety and protection,
Julia could never know who the vampire was.
The dogs howled again. Joe responded, wanting to go to Angelique, but too
weak to rise from the bed. It was not Joe she wanted, but Haskell would not
accept that.
"I must resist her. I cannot go to her this night. I cannot leave Joe."
Collins watched the young man, restless, as the dogs continued to howl,
continued to warn them of the vampire's need. Barnabas shook his head.
"No. I must resist. I promised Julia I would not leave Joe's side."
Slowly, gradually, Joe began to calm. He lay still, breathing deeply, but
no longer determined to leave his bed. The dogs suddenly went silent and
Barnabas knew he was no longer alone in the room. She had come to him.
"Barnabas."
Her voice, cold, angry, cruel, caused Barnabas to straighten. He turned
to face Angelique as she stepped from the shadows, her eyes blazing with
hunger and with anger when she saw Joe on the bed.
"You have defied me."
"Angelique...!"
Her gaze shot past Barnabas at the sound of Joe Haskell's voice. She
glared at the injured man whom Nicholas Blair had determine would die at
Barnabas Collins' hand, even though Barnabas refused to do as Angelique
ordered, then she looked again at Barnabas. Her anger grew as she shook her
head.
"Oh, you shall pay for this, Barnabas, I promise."
Haskell had managed to sit up, his desire and need to be with Angelique
stronger than the pain and weakness he felt.
"I knew you still needed me. I knew what you said wasn't true."
The vampire nailed Haskell with a cold, hard glare as he got out of bed,
moving toward her. He stopped, unsteady on his feet, transfixed by her stare.
When Angelique was certain Haskell was subdued, she turned her gaze on
Barnabas.
"I told you to be certain he died."
"I... couldn't. He can't become what you are..."
"Then you should have followed my instructions, Barnabas, you should have
killed him so he wouldn't rise as what I am, for now there will be no one to
stop it. And do you know who he will turn to first? He will turn to Maggie
Evans, who so resembles your very precious and stupid Josette."
"No. No, there will be someone to stop it."
"Oh, your ingenious Doctor Hoffman? She is no match for me, Barnabas. As
soon as I am finished with what I must do here, I shall take care of your dear
Julia Hoffman."
"No."
Collins' voice was hoarse with protest, but Angelique ignored him. She
turned her attention back to Joe Haskell, smiled and held her arms out to him.
Joe responded with a moan and stumbled forward, into her embrace.
"You are right, Joe, I do still need you. Come to me, Joe, come to me."
"No!"
Barnabas started forward, ready to intercept Haskell, but Angelique met
his gaze with cold anger and determination, and he could not move. Barnabas
could only watch in horror and dread as Angelique enfolded Joe in her embrace,
then lowered her fangs to his neck. Barnabas knew she intended to drain the
man, and that his own fate was to be the same as Joe's.
Angelique released Haskell and let him drop to the floor. Barnabas looked
at him. His face was ashen, drained of all color. Very little blood seeped
from the wounds on his neck, for there was very little blood left in his
veins. But he was not dead yet. Joe still breathed, although Barnabas knew he
would not survive the night.
Angelique smiled as she looked down on Haskell's crumpled body. He would
trouble her no more. Barnabas was her only concern now. The vampire raised her
gaze to meet Barnabas', releasing him enough so he could again move, and he
was almost immediately at Joe's side, looking down at him. She walked over to
where Barnabas mutely stood over Joe's body. She was enjoying this man's
anguish.
"He is not your concern now, Barnabas. Nor is he mine."
"Why must you be so cruel?"
"You made me that way when you rejected my love. I vowed you would suffer
as much as I did."
"I have."
Angelique laughed with chilling amusement and shook her head as she
smiled with anticipation.
"No, your suffering has only begun, Barnabas. Now you will watch in
silence, unable to do anything, as I deal with your dear and trusted friend,
Julia Hoffman."
Angelique spat out Julia's name as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.
She would relish disposing of this woman who was far more important to
Barnabas than he realized, or would ever admit.
"She is in this house, isn't she... Downstairs, sleeping."
Angelique smiled and turned toward the door, ready to seek out Julia
Hoffman. She was going to immensely enjoy this confrontation.
~~~*~~~
Harry Johnson waited outside the Old House, beginning to realize Nicholas
Blair's plan was not working. Barnabas Collins had not left the Old House to
meet Angelique as Blair said he would. Harry knew he would be in big trouble
with Blair if he didn't do his part, so he decided to risk going into the
house anyway. Taking a deep breath, Johnson started toward the old mansion. If
he got caught, he would try to talk his way out of it. What could Barnabas
Collins do to him that would be worse than the punishment Nicholas Blair
promised him?
Barnabas watched Angelique glide out the door of Josette's room. He was
terrified for Julia. She was downstairs, asleep, unaware of how close to
death, or worse, she was.
"No! Angelique, stop this. I will do anything you say, anything you want,
but do not harm Julia. She has done nothing to you."
The former witch now vampire who, unknown to Nicholas Blair still
retained some of the powers she possessed as a witch, laughed mockingly and
continued on her way out of the room. Barnabas followed, stumbling, anxious to
reach Julia and warn her. He could not protect her, Angelique would not allow
that, but if he could warn her, she could protect herself.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Angelique was already leaning
over a sleeping Julia Hoffman. Knowing he would pay dearly for it, but unable
to stand by and watch as Angelique harmed Julia, Barnabas lurched forward,
trying to intervene.
"Julia!"
Hoffman jumped, startled awake by the panic and fear in Barnabas'
voice. She felt someone nearby and looked up, seeing the vampire moving in to
attack. Horrible memories of what Tom Jennings had done to her not long ago
filled Julia's mind and she cried out, pushing out of the chair, trying to
escape, to protect herself, to protect Barnabas.
"No... NO!"
Julia pushed against the vampire, sending her slightly off balance and
backward. This gave Julia the chance to put some small distance between
herself and the vampire. She saw Barnabas stumble forward, trying to place
himself between her and the blond Cassandra. No, not Cassandra - Angelique.
Understanding flashed in her eyes, but Julia pushed it down. She had to
protect herself and free Barnabas, then she would have time to put all the
pieces together.
Angelique laughed, and it sent shivers through Julia, but she would not
allow her fear to show. She kept her eyes on the vampire, not meeting her
gaze, and slowly, carefully, reached into the pocket of her dress to remove
the silver crucifix she carried.
"Are you surprised, Doctor Hoffman? You suddenly understand why Barnabas
has been acting so strangely. He is mine. He always has been and he always
will be. He may try to escape, but he will always be brought back to me."
"Only through force. He will never come to you freely."
Again Angelique laughed, neither she or Julia Hoffman noticing that Harry
Johnson was outside, looking through the windows on the scene in the drawing
room. Deciding that everyone was too preoccupied to notice him, he moved
slowly and carefully toward the front door.
Julia's eyes narrowed when Angelique laughed, and her own determination
grew.
"How arrogant you are, Doctor."
"And how foolish you are, Angelique."
Julia was about to raise the crucifix when everyone heard the front door
slowly open. Julia did not dare take her eyes off the vampire, but Angelique
seemed to know what was going on. Her eyes clouded over with impatience.
"Harry, come here!"
Johnson jumped at the sound of his name, at the harsh command. He had to
obey it. Slowly he moved into the drawing room, not understanding any of what
he saw. He didn't want to understand.
"Give it to me, Harry. Now."
Angelique, her gaze fixed on Julia, held her hand out toward Harry. He
stepped forward and placed the vial Nicholas had given him in Angelique's
hand. She nodded and smiled cruelly.
"Very good, Harry. Now, stand beside Barnabas and restrain him. He is not
to interfere in any way with what I am about to do."
"What are you going to do?"
"It does not concern you. Just restrain him or you will be sorry."
Johnson nodded and moved over to stand beside Barnabas. He put his hands
on the man's upper arms, thinking Barnabas looked as if he could barely stand,
let alone try to interfere, but Harry did as he was told. Maybe Nicholas
wouldn't be quite so angry if he helped Angelique do what she intended -
whatever that was.
Angelique smiled as she held the vial of poison up, allowing the candle
light to bounce off the obsidian colored surface. She glanced at Julia, who
watched her carefully, as a predator watched its prey, hoping for an
opportunity to strike. Angelique was determined Hoffman never have that
chance.
"This was originally intended for your patient, Doctor Hoffman, but he is
no longer a concern. I think it will serve equally well if the recipient were
to change. What do you think, Barnabas? To whom should I give this - you or
Doctor Hoffman?"
Barnabas tried to step forward, to break Harry's grip on his arms, but he
was too weak and could only lean back against the young man, a whimper of
dread escaping him. Angelique laughed, the sound sending chills down the
spines of everyone in the room.
"Give the poison to me."
"And once again allow you to escape the fate I determined you would have?
No, Barnabas, it won't be that easy and you know it. I think I must give it to
your dear Doctor Hoffman."
"You cannot. She has done nothing to you."
"But she has, Barnabas, she has. Julia and I both know what it is; she
and I both know that anyone who loves you must become a victim of my curse. We
both know that she must die. Now is the time."
Again Angelique laughed. She glanced at Barnabas long enough to see his
reaction, and Julia took the opportunity to act. She pulled the crucifix from
her dress pocket and stepped forward, holding it up so Angelique had no choice
but to look at it. Angelique spat and spun away, raising her arms to protect
herself. Julia advanced on her.
~~~*~~~
Barnabas, using what little strength he had, commanded by Angelique,
lunged forward, breaking free of Harry Johnson and stepping between Julia and
the vampire. He shook his head as he used his body to protect Angelique, his
gaze meeting Julia's in warning and fear.
"Julia, no..."
"Barnabas, get out of my way."
Angelique carefully turned back to face Julia, certain that Barnabas
stood between her and the offending religious symbol. She watched as Barnabas
reached out and roughly took Julia's arm, preventing her from raising the
crucifix in defense again.
The vampire captured Julia's gaze and held it, transfixing her so she
could no longer move of her own volition. Julia tried to resist, to look away,
but could not. She relaxed slowly and allowed Barnabas to take the crucifix
from her fingers. He tossed it across the room so it landed under a chair in
the far corner.
A cold, vengeful glint came into Angelique's gaze as she advanced on
Barnabas from behind. She grasped him by the arms and he whimpered. Certain
that Julia watched, unable to turn away, Angelique lowered her mouth to
Barnabas' neck and sank her fangs into his flesh. Collins moaned in pain,
Angelique watching Julia as horror and fear spread across the doctor's face.
Angelique prolonged her contact with Barnabas, enjoying both his blood and the
fact Hoffman was completely in her power, wanting to help Barnabas but unable
to move.
Harry Johnson watched, frightened and confused. He didn't know what was
going on, really didn't want to know, but felt compelled to try and stop it.
"Stop! What are you doing? My God, what are you?! Doctor Hoffman, he's
bleeding, help him!"
Harry stepped forward, into Angelique's line of sight, breaking her eye
contact with Julia. Hoffman blinked, then spun away as Angelique pushed
Barnabas aside and turned angrily on Harry. He saw her fangs, the blood on her
mouth and chin, and began to back away from her, shaking his head.
"You're.... you're not human! You're a monster!"
Unable to take any more, Harry turned and ran from the room, then from
the house. Angelique let him go, certain that Nicholas would take care of him.
She turned back to the drawing room, her eyes blazing fury. Barnabas stood
where she had left him, unsteady, lightheaded, and dazed, but still on his
feet. She was unable to spot Julia for a moment, then heard movement near the
fireplace. Angelique smiled and stood there defiantly, as if inviting Hoffman
to strike.
Julia stepped from the shadows, gaze fixed warily on Angelique. She shot
a glance at Barnabas, aware he needed her help, but she could not take the
time now. The help he needed was more than medical and she was the only one
who could provide it. Angelique smiled slowly, knowing what was on Hoffman's
mind. She shook her head.
"You cannot win, Julia. You cannot hope to overpower me, and free
Barnabas."
"I can try."
Julia took a menacing step forward, ready to die if she had to, trying
to free Barnabas. Again she found her way blocked by Barnabas. He stood before
her, meeting her gaze. He could feel Angelique's control of his will
strengthening, and tried to resist, but was unable to do so. He knew she was
placing words and thoughts in his head, but he could not stop what she was
about to make him say; he could not stop her.
"Stop this, Julia. Leave now and she may not harm you."
"We both know better, Barnabas. I can't leave, I can't stop until one of
us is dead."
"Then you will die in vain, for I do not want your help. I want nothing
more to do with you and will be happy only when you are out of my life. It was
idiotic of me to think you could help me. I was insane to trust you or think
of you as a friend. You are not."
"Barnabas..."
"You Julia, are a fool if you believe I could ever have feelings for you,
still hope that I could ever be in love with you. That will never happen, I
care nothing for you. I never have. You are a pathetic, lonely woman who
allowed herself to become emotionally involved with me, a man who was your
patient. I could never fall in love with you for you have never - will never -
hold a place in my heart. The only woman I have ever or could ever love is my
wife, Angelique. I do not care she is now as I once was. She offers me a
return to that life, the opportunity to be together for eternity. I will not
fight her when she makes me what I was, I will welcome it. I do not welcome
your interference in the path I have chosen. Get out of my life, Julia, leave
me alone. You are nothing to me."
Angelique slowly smiled as she watched Julia Hoffman fight to control
her emotions. The doctor's back stiffened, her hands clenched into fists at
her sides, and she swallowed hard to keep herself from crying. Unable to stop
herself, Angelique chuckled and stepped forward, taking Barnabas into her
embrace once again.
"You heard him, Doctor. He loves me and he always will. It's too bad you
had to fall in love with someone who cares so little for you."
"I never want to see you again, Julia."
Barnabas' voice was hoarse with emotion, with pain. Angelique smiled
triumphantly and turned Barnabas so that when she lowered her fangs to his
neck again, Julia could see his facial expression, the look in his eyes.
Julia watched as Angelique turned her back on her, lowering her fangs to
Barnabas' neck. She began to feed and a cold, intense hatred gripped Julia.
She watched Barnabas' reactions, then stepped forward, arm raised. She plunged
the sharp piece of wood she held down into Angelique's back and used a silver
candlestick to pound the improvised stake into her heart.
The vampire jerked back. She released Barnabas and a scream of pain and
defeat at the same time. Barnabas lurched away, screaming Angelique's name,
trying to help her, but Julia pounded the large splinter of wood further into
the vampire's heart. She saw blood begin to pour from the wound and from
Angelique's fangs - Barnabas' blood.
"No! Angelique! Julia! What have you done?! No!..."
Barnabas sank to his knees as Angelique fell heavily to the floor, his
cry of agony, pain and release echoing in the room, as did Joe Haskell's from
upstairs. Julia stared at the corpse on the floor, knowing it still wasn't
over. She pried another piece of wood from a split log by the fireplace and,
using the same candlestick as a hammer, drove the wood into Angelique's heart
from the front, unmindful of the splinters and slivers that pierced the skin
of her hands.
Julia heard the cock crow outside, signalling the approach of dawn. She
reached down, grabbed Angelique's corpse by the arms, and dragged it from the
drawing room, onto the front steps of the Old House and into the first rays of
sunlight. With some satisfaction, Julia watched the sun touch Angelique's
flesh, watched it begin to smoke and finally become dust as the sun consumed
the vampire's body. Certain there was nothing left and Angelique would not
rise, Julia scattered the pile of dust that had been Angelique with a
decisive, deliberate kick of her foot. She took a deep breath, and returned to
the Old House drawing room.
Barnabas knelt on the drawing room floor, breathing deeply, struggling
to understand what had just happened, and accept he was finally free of
Angelique, forever. He heard Julia enter the room and looked up to meet her
gaze. The compassion and concern he had expected to find there, had hoped to
find there were absent. Instead he saw a cold, burning fury in Julia's eyes, a
fury born of emotional pain and broken trust, betrayed friendship. Once again
he owed his life to Julia, but she was unable to accept or acknowledge his
debt.
Certain Barnabas lived, Julia met his gaze with a cold detachment she
had not felt since the day she met him. Not trusting herself to speak, or even
be in the same room with him, Julia turned on her heel. She left the drawing
room and climbed the stairs. Joe needed her medical attention; she needed to
be busy and away from Barnabas Collins.
Barnabas watched as Julia turned away and left the room without saying a
word. He bowed his head, feeling no relief at being free of Angelique and her
jealousy. He felt a sorrow he'd never experienced before, knowing how deeply
his words had hurt Julia. It mattered little that Angelique had forced him to
utter the words, the thoughts she had placed in his mind. Some of what he'd
said had been true - once - months ago. He'd not felt that way toward Julia
for a very long time, but how was she to know that? He'd never had the courage
to tell her, to let her know he valued her presence in his life as more than a
dear and trusted friend.
Slowly, for he was still weak, Barnabas rose from the floor and eased
himself into the chair by the fireplace. He would wait there for Julia in the
hopes she would be able to listen to him after she'd had a chance to calm
down.
~~~*~~~
The sound of Adam screaming in pain brought Nicholas Blair bursting into
the front room of Blair House. Adam was kneeling on the floor, holding his
chest, crying out. Nicholas rushed to his side, imploring Adam to tell him
what was wrong. Slowly Adam felt the pain ease. He was able to breath again,
the agony in his chest was gone, as was the sore spot on his neck. He felt
weak, but much better than he had in days.
"Adam. Tell me what is wrong. What happened?"
"I... do not know, Nicholas. I was sitting here, reading. Suddenly I
felt weak and tired, then... I felt pain in my chest, here. Now it is fine and
my neck does not hurt anymore."
Blair was frowning. "Let me see your neck, Adam."
Adam moved his head to the side and lowered the collar of his sweater so
Nicholas could look all he liked. Blair cautiously raised his hand and touched
two fingers to the spot where the fang wounds had been on Adam's neck. The
wounds were gone. He narrowed his eyes and helped Adam to his feet, then over
to the sofa.
"Do you know what happened, Nicholas?"
"I am beginning..."
Blair was interrupted by an urgent knock on the front door. He was going
to ignore it, until Harry Johnson's voice, calling to him, was added to the
urgent knocking. Nicholas cast a curious glance at Adam, then went to answer
the door. He led Johnson into the front room and nailed the man with a look
that immediately caused him to calm down. Blair was in no mood for anything
but the facts.
"All right, Harry. What happened?"
"I waited outside the Old House like you said, but Barnabas never came
out. The dogs were howling like crazy, then they just stopped. I decided to
move closer and was able to look through the window of the Old House."
"And what did you see?"
"Doctor Hoffman and Angelique. It looked like they were... fighting over
Barnabas."
Blair smacked his fist into the palm of his other hand, fuming. "The
idiot! Go on, Harry."
"Since everyone was distracted, I decided to try and sneak in anyway. I
was very careful, very quiet, but somehow Angelique must have heard me anyway.
I didn't even have the door closed when she called my name, demanded I go to
her."
"And did you?"
"I had to. She and Doctor Hoffman were facing each other, glaring at
each other."
"And Barnabas?"
"He was in front of Angelique, like he was protecting her from Doctor
Hoffman. As soon as I stepped into the room, Angelique made me hand the poison
over to her. She was going to use it on Doctor Hoffman."
"Did she?"
Harry shook his head, still confused and frightened.
"I don't know, everything happened so fast... All of a sudden Angelique
was holding Barnabas, and... she bit him! On the neck. He was bleeding but
she'd done something to Doctor Hoffman so she wouldn't - or couldn't - help
him... I got scared and... I ran. I came here. I did try to get the poison
upstairs to Joe, but Angelique stopped me."
Blair had begun pacing. He stopped long enough to look at Harry, then
nodded. He looked at Adam, who was feeling better by the minute. He knew what
had happened and he would go to the Old House to confirm it for himself, but
first he had to take care of Johnson. Blair stood in front of the distraught
man and put on his best, ingratiating smile.
"She had no right to do that, Harry, and I will deal with her."
"You're... not angry with me?"
"No, Harry, not with you. Look at me Harry."
Johnson met Blair's gaze and a glazed look came over his face.
"You will forget everything you have seen and heard this night, Harry.
You will forget you ever did anything for me. If anyone should ask you about
it, tell them you were delivering a message to me from Miss Stoddard. Is that
clear?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Blair raised his hand and Harry blinked. He looked disoriented for a
moment, glanced at Adam, then back at Blair.
"... Thank you for bringing the message from Miss Stoddard, Harry. I
appreciate it very much."
"You're... you're welcome, Mr. Blair. Goodnight. Goodnight, Adam."
"Goodnight, Harry."
Johnson turned and left the house, Blair watching him depart. He turned
to face Adam, who stood slowly, more steady on his feet than he had been.
"What did you do to him, Nicholas?"
"I made him forget so he won't cause trouble for us."
"How did you do that?"
"I will explain later, Adam. I must go out now. Are you all right?"
"Yes, I feel fine."
"Good. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Blair hurried from the room and out the front door, not even bothering
to gather his hat and gloves from the stand in the front hallway.
~~~*~~~
Nicholas Blair concealed himself behind the shrubbery near the front
door of the Old House. He could feel - sense - that Angelique had gotten
herself into some major difficulties. Blair was about to step forward when he
heard the front door open. He watched as Julia Hoffman dragged something onto
the front steps and over to a patch of early morning sunshine. She
straightened and stepped back so Nicholas could see the bloodied body of
Angelique, stake through her heart. Before he could react, before he could
intervene, the sunlight touched Angelique's body and it disintegrated into
dust. Hoffman glared down at the pile of dust, then gave what was left of
Angelique a kick with her foot, scattering the dust across the porch, into the
bushes, and into the wind. With her mouth set in a firm line, her eyes cold
and hard, Hoffman gave a single nod of her head, then turned and entered the
Old House, closing the door behind her.
Blair hurried across the porch and carefully eased himself into position
so he could look through the front window. Barnabas Collins knelt on the floor
of the drawing room, breathing heavily, head bowed. He looked up when Julia
Hoffman entered the room, his gaze seeking hers. Blair expected Hoffman to
hurry to Barnabas' side, but she did not. Instead she stood there a long
moment, the cold fury and anger in her eyes worthy of the vampire witch she
had just destroyed. Julia said nothing, then turned and left the room. Collins
sagged with disappointment, then struggled to his feet and lowered himself
into a chair by the fireplace.
Nicholas stepped away from the window, a satisfied smile on his face. He
wandered back to the small pile of dust that had once been Angelique, watching
as the wind eroded it until nothing but a thin layer remained on the porch. He
shook his head, bemused.
"I don't know what you did before Julia Hoffman got the better of you,
Angelique, but you did succeed in making her very, very angry with Barnabas.
She is a formidable woman, one whom I would not want angry with me. It is
unfortunate she did destroy you, My Dear, for her anger pitted against your
need to possess Barnabas Collins would have been a sight indeed. Sadly we will
now never see what could have been. Farewell, My Dear."
Blair gestured with his hand and the last of the dust that had been
Angelique dispersed in the wind. He chuckled, glanced back over his
shoulder, then left the Old House. Angelique would no longer trouble him and
he was the first to admit she got what she deserved. Now he was free to
concentrate on his plans for Adam and Eve.
Julia sat quietly in the chair in Josette's room, watching Joe Haskell
sleep. He didn't need her there, he was fine; free of Angelique's control just
as Barnabas was free. Joe needed rest, for he was still very weak, physically,
and traumatized emotionally. When he was stronger, Julia planned to suggest
that he come see her on a professional, psychiatric basis. He would need to
talk about what had happened with someone who knew he wasn't crazy. Julia was
in the unique position to completely understand what Joe was experiencing, and
what was still to come.
She sighed and rested her head on the back of the chair. She slowly
flexed her hands and looked down at them, studying the myriad of cuts and
slices marring the flesh of her palms. She had removed all the splinters and
disinfected the wounds. The sting to her flesh caused by the antiseptic was
mild compared to the pain in her heart. Shaking her head, Julia swallowed
hard. Barnabas too would need to talk, would need to be re-assured and guided
as he adjusted to a life without Angelique, but Julia doubted she could give
him that support. She was far too emotionally involved, and far too hurt. She
no longer trusted her judgement where Barnabas was concerned. Joe was a casual
acquaintance, perhaps a friend, but nothing more. She could treat him
effectively. Julia knew she would not have the needed objectivity or self
control to properly treat Barnabas.
Glancing at her watch, Julia sighed and slowly rose from the chair. She
crossed the room to check on Joe, who slept peacefully and probably would for
the rest of the day. It was well into the morning hours and Julia knew she
couldn't hide from Barnabas all day. She also needed to examine him to be
certain he too was free of Angelique's control and on his way to physical
recovery. Reluctantly Julia left the room to head downstairs.
~~~*~~~
Barnabas was in the drawing room, asleep in his chair. Julia stood in
the doorway several long moments, forcing herself to stay calm and put all her
personal emotions aside. Barnabas was a patient, in need of her professional
care, nothing else.
Moving into the room quietly, Julia crossed to stand by Barnabas. She
gingerly reached out to move his collar away from his neck, forcing her hand
to remain steady and not tremble. The skin on his neck was unmarred, free of
the fang wounds she'd seen there earlier. Next Julia reached for his wrist, to
check Barnabas' pulse. It was steady and regular. Satisfied with his immediate
physical condition, Julia returned Barnabas' arm to his lap and turned to
leave. She stopped when she heard Barnabas stir and call her name. She did not
turn to face him.
"Julia, please, do not leave."
Barnabas watched as she paused, her back going rigid, her shoulders
straight. She was still very hurt and very angry. Collins knew he had to do
something to break through that anger, or he would lose her forever. That he
could not face.
Slowly Barnabas rose from the chair and walked over to where Julia
stood. He reached out to place his hand on her arm but she shrugged him off,
stepping away from him.
"Julia, please, we must talk. We must work this out. I must apologize."
"It's too late for that, Barnabas."
"Do not say that, please. I know I hurt you with what I said, what
Angelique forced me to say. They were her words, her thoughts, her wishes, not
mine. None of what she compelled me to say was true."
"It was, once."
Collins looked down at his hands, swallowing his pride, his fear, his
reluctance to share with Julia the truth.
"Yes, once, long ago when we first met, some of it was true, not all of
it. But I soon learned otherwise, I soon realized you were - you are - a very
important and valuable part of my life. I do not want to lose you, I do not
want a life that you are not a part of. Angelique is gone forever. Her curse
can never harm me, or anyone I love, ever again. Once more I owe my life to
you, Julia. It will be a very empty, meaningless life if I cannot share some
aspect of it with you."
"I see."
Julia Hoffman still faced away from Barnabas, her voice cold and
controlled.
"Julia, will you not even look at me?"
Hoffman shook her head once, turning her gaze further away from
Barnabas. She felt him step closer to her and bring his hands up to rest on
her shoulders. She did not resist when he turned her around to face him, but
she did not cooperate either, keeping her gaze lowered, her posture stiff.
"Julia, please allow me to apologize. Had I been free of Angelique's
control, had she not been so desperate to possess me once again, I would never
have said anything so hurtful or vindictive to you."
Slowly Julia raised her eyes so she could meet Barnabas'. The cold anger
and fury were not so intense, but the emotional pain was very evident and
something that would not easily fade or be forgotten, or forgiven.
"That's just it, Barnabas. You would never have said anything."
~~~*~~~
Barnabas slowly released Julia's shoulders and let his hands drop to his
sides. He knew she was right. Had Angelique not forced the issue, he would
have kept silent, never sharing any of his feelings with Julia.
"That is true, I would not have said anything. Perhaps because... I do
not know what to say."
Julia nodded, swallowing down the angry retort that came to mind. With
anyone else, Barnabas always knew what to say, knew how to express his
feelings. He was never at a loss for words around Vicki, even though she was
engaged to Jeff. He made no secret of his love for Vicki, even though she had
told Barnabas she could not return his feelings and was in love with Jeff
Clark. Why could he not be that open and honest with her?
"How odd, Barnabas. You always seem to know what to say to others, you
are always able to tell them how you feel."
"Perhaps that is because they are not as important to me as I believe
them to be; I am not as close to them as I am to you."
Julia released a bitter laugh and shook her head. "We're not close,
Barnabas. As long as I'm willing to help you, to be ordered about and bullied
by you, I have a place in your life. When I try to oppose you, to take a
viewpoint other than the one you express, you threaten me and push me away.
That's not closeness, Barnabas, that's control."
Collins stared at Julia, his eyes wide with surprise. He glanced down at
his hands, then turned away. He slowly walked back to his chair and sank into
it, resting his head against the back, his eyes closed. Barnabas allowed his
shoulders to slump as he exhaled deeply. Julia was right. So long as he was
able to control and manipulate and order her about... He opened his eyes and
looked across the room to where Julia still stood, watching him, waiting
for... what? He sat forward and met her gaze.
"Then why have you stayed?"
It was Julia's turn to break eye contact. She crossed her arms over her
chest and looked into the fire, still able to see Barnabas in her peripheral
vision.
"Because I can't just... turn off my feelings for you and, even though
you could care less about how I feel,... some part of me won't let go, won't
give up hope that maybe, someday... Now that it's out in the open, now that
you have made your feelings extremely clear, Barnabas, I'll leave you alone."
"No!"
He stood quickly, ignoring the dizziness he felt, and returned to
Julia's side. Barnabas gently gripped Julia's arms and met her gaze.
"Julia, please, do not leave. I could not endure that. For the first
time since we met, I am free, completely free of Angelique and of her curse. I
am free to be loved and return love without the fear that, at any moment,
Angelique's curse will take someone else I care about from me. I do care about
you, Julia, very deeply. When you were victim to Tom Jennings, my greatest
fear was that he would take you from me. I cared little for the risk to
myself, so long as I could keep you safe."
Julia studied Barnabas closely, seeing the sincerity and truth in his
eyes. She could not deny that he had indeed endangered himself to save her
from Tom Jennings; to protect her from Adam's anger; to keep her from learning
about Angelique so she would not be endangered again. He had risked
Angelique's wrath to warn her of the impending danger.
"Julia, you have been, you are, a very important part of my life; you
have made my life better and have caused me to be a better person. Those
hurtful things Angelique forced me to say are the things she wanted you to
believe, what she... deluded herself into thinking was the truth. She was
wrong. It was she who holds no place in my heart. You do, but if you cannot
believe that, if my words have hurt you too deeply to allow you to accept
this, then... after all of this, she has still won."
Julia bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling, the intensity of
Barnabas' words, and in his eyes frightened her a little. Logically she knew
Angelique would have forced Barnabas to say exactly what he did in order to
turn things around, to make her abandon Barnabas. Angelique knew the only way
she could ever have Barnabas was through witchcraft, or a vampire's control;
that he would never come to her willingly. Emotionally Julia was having
trouble overcoming the hurt and pain Barnabas' words had caused. No,
Angelique's words. Manipulative, vengeful being that she was, Angelique had
used Barnabas to wound a rival and cause the man she claimed to love such
despair that he would turn to her for solace and comfort. They had been
Angelique's words, not Barnabas'. Julia swallowed and began to relax a little,
no longer as tense at Barnabas' touch as she had been.
He felt Julia relax, and saw some of the tension, anger and hurt fade.
Her eyes were no longer as cold and hard as they had been, the fury softened
to something more vulnerable.
"I cannot take back the terrible things Angelique forced me to say. I
can never repair the hurt she caused you, or the... hatred I felt for her as
she put thoughts and words into my mind and compelled me to speak them. All I
ask is that you allow me to prove those words and thoughts untrue, and
demonstrate that my feelings for you are far more intense than those of a
patient for his physician, or even for a dear, trusted and treasured friend."
Barnabas leaned forward and gently drew Julia closer to him, finding her
mouth and placing a firm, tender kiss there. He let his hands slide down her
arms to take her hands, entwine their fingers, and looked at her with surprise
when Julia reacted in pain at the contact. Barnabas glanced down and saw the
myriad of cuts and scratches that marred her fingers and palms.
"Julia, your hands!"
"They're all right, Barnabas. Every single injury is worth the
discomfort, for they are proof and reminder that Angelique did not win."
He pulled back far enough to study Julia's gaze, to really look at and
listen to her. Slowly he nodded, accepting her medical assessment of her own
condition, satisfied that she was willing to give him the chance to prove
Angelique wrong. Carefully he reached for her hands again, smiling when she
did not pull away.
"How is Joe?"
"Sleeping. He was very weak and will probably sleep the rest of the day.
You should rest as well, Barnabas."
"Later. We must decide what to do about Adam and Eve."
Julia stepped back slightly and shook her head.
"We do nothing, Barnabas. If Eve is as evil as you and Stokes believe
her to be, she will do everything she can to keep Blair's plan from
succeeding. When he finds out, he will deal with her himself, and that will be
far more effective than anything we might do. If we interfere, and Adam learns
of it, he will turn his anger and wrath on us again, and all we have been
through in recent weeks will have been for nothing."
Barnabas was about to protest, to declare they had to do something and
order Julia to comply with his wishes, but as he looked into her eyes,
recalled what she'd said only minutes before, Barnabas stilled his protest.
She was right and for once he would listen to her.
"You are right, Julia. Adam has gotten what he wants and is out of our
lives. I have no desire to bring him back into them. However, I cannot help
but wonder what Blair will do when he learns Angelique has been destroyed."
Barnabas met Julia's gaze, and she returned it. She too was wondering
that, but only briefly. Slowly she shook her head.
"He already knows, Barnabas."
"How?"
"Adam felt what you felt, he suffered from Angelique's attacks just as
you did, even though she never physically touched him or took his blood. He
would have experienced the pain of her death, just as you did. If that isn't
proof enough for Nicholas Blair, he will know something went wrong when
Angelique did not return to her coffin at dawn."
"Yes, all this is true. The question still remains, what will he do
about it?"
Julia smiled ruefully, her gaze narrowing slightly.
"If Nicholas Blair is the wise and prudent being I believe him to be, he
will realize he is better off without the problems and aggravation Angelique
caused him complicating his life. He will not try to interfere or reverse what
has been done, and will, as I said, concentrate all his energy on his plans
for Adam and Eve."
"I hope you are right, Julia. I hope you are right."
He met her gaze and once more Julia nodded. She too hoped she was right.
Then she stepped back from Barnabas, the look in her eyes letting him know she
would accept no arguments from him.
"You need to be in bed, Barnabas. Do not tell me you are all right
because I know better."
He nodded his agreement reluctantly, aware the exhaustion he felt was
beginning to overwhelm him. Julia took his arm. Together they turned and
started up the stairs. She saw Barnabas to his room, then left him to check on
Joe. When she returned, Barnabas was dressed in pajamas and dressing gown,
waiting for her. He didn't give her a chance to protest, but rather took her
in his arms and gave her another long, meaningful kiss. When they parted,
Barnabas met her gaze, studying her face, her eyes with new understanding.
"Thank you, Julia. Thank you for so many things, but most of all... for
loving me through so much adversity, and for freeing me from Angelique so that
I may begin again with someone who I know loves me and will do nothing to harm
me."
He kissed her again, then removed his dressing gown and got into bed.
Julia watched him a long moment, hardly knowing what to say. She crossed over
to the bed, and found him already sleeping soundly. Julia laid a tender hand
on his forehead, bent over and kissed his brow, then left him to sleep. She
would ask Willie to fix Barnabas and Joe something to eat, for they would both
need nourishment when they woke. Later she and Barnabas would have time to
explore this new chapter in their relationship. Both would need to make some
adjustments regarding each other, and Julia was looking forward to everything
those adjustments would bring to her new life with Barnabas.
Outside, the wind had picked up and a dust devil was trying to form on
the front lawn of the Old House grounds. Specks of dirt and dust tried to
gather into a vague form, but could not become anything more than larger bits
of dust. Solid form eluded the particles that had once been Angelique.
Coalescence was somehow prevented and a wail rose above the wind, a wail that
sounded like a cry of frustration and angry defeat. Terry S. Bowers
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