The Woman I Love

Terry S. Bowers
Sept. 6, 2002

The scene occurs in episode # 635 -- when Adam demands Barnabas do the experiment again, using Vicki as the life force, even though Eve is a skeleton.... 

"Look at her, Barnabas. Look at the woman you love. She will die, just as my mate died!"

Julia had stepped closer to Barnabas as they both realized Adam had gone insane. He was beyond reason, beyond any ability to even understand what he was doing. Gun held in one hand and pointed at Adam, Barnabas found his other hand moving to rest around Julia's waist. She was so focused on Adam's actions that she did not seem to notice, but Barnabas felt her relax slightly at the touch of his hand. He did not know what would happened, but he had to continue.

"She is not the woman I love, Adam."

Julia tensed as she stared at Barnabas. What did that mean, Vicki wasn't the woman he loved? They were in this mess because he loved her, because he'd allowed Adam to force them into doing the second experiment by threatening Vicki's life. If he didn't love Vicki, then why all of this?         

"What?"        

Julia and Adam spoke together, Julia's voice reflecting incredible disbelief, Adam's telling of the anger and confusion he was experiencing.        

"Vicki is not the woman I love, Adam. She is a very dear friend, and I am quite fond of her, but I do not love her as you seem to think I do."        

"You love her, I can see it in the way you look at her, the way you worry about her, the way you treat Jeff Clark."         

"I would worry about anyone who is put in danger such as this. You are trying to kill someone for being my friend, Adam."         

"No, you love her."         

"No, Adam, I don't. I never did."         

Julia watched Barnabas with fascination, listening closely to what he said and how he said it. He was telling the truth, of that she was certain.         

"Turn off that power, Adam, or I will shoot you."         

"Go ahead, Barnabas, but I do not think you want me dead, because you do not want to revert to what you were."         

"To prevent you from murdering an innocent young woman, I will do as I must."         

Barnabas raised his gun and aimed at Adam's chest. The insane man stared at Collins, shaking his head.         

"No, you will not do it, Barnabas. You do not have the courage."         

With no warning, Adam lunged forward and grabbed Julia's arm, pulling her away from Barnabas and into his own tight hold. Julia released a startled, frightened scream as Barnabas tried to keep her with him.         

"Julia!"         

"Now you must shoot her if you are going to shoot me."         

Barnabas met Julia's gaze and reluctantly lowered the gun. Adam grinned insanely.         

"I knew you were not brave enough. Now, Doctor Hoffman, you will do the experiment again. You will use Victoria Winters as the life force and I will watch every move you make to be sure you do not harm Eve."         

Julia glanced at the skeleton that had been Eve, then at Barnabas. She saw a brief flicker in his eyes that told her to go along with what Adam said. Slowly Julia nodded.         

"All... all right, Adam, but you must release me, so I can work."         

Vicki's screams had stilled and Julia hoped Barnabas would do what he planned quickly. She didn't think Vicki had much time left.         

"No tricks, Doctor."         

"No tricks."         

He cautiously released his grip on Julia and watched intently as she turned off the power, then moved to check Vicki. She stood there, aware of Adam's agitation, uncertain of how to deal with him. He had never reacted as most people did and she had never been able to decide how best to approach him, to reason with him, to reach him.         

"What about Eve?"         

Julia glanced at the skeleton, then at Adam as she moved to stand by the table on which Eve had lain. Taking a deep breath, Julia met Adam's gaze.        

"There is nothing I can do for her, Adam. She is dead and will stay that way."         

"No!!"         

His roar of anger filled the cellar room as he once again lunged at Julia. He grabbed her by the arms and lifted her off the floor. It looked as though he intended to throw her across the room and into a wall. At the last moment, Adam put Julia back on the floor and raised one hand to her throat, beginning to throttle her.         

"You will not touch her!!"         

Maniacal delight reflecting from Adam's eyes, distorting his features, he looked up at Barnabas as he continued to strangle Julia. As their gazes met, Adam understood a split second before he heard the shot, felt the impact and sank to the floor. The bullet Barnabas had fired into his heart had killed him instantly.         

Barnabas scrambled forward and pried Adam's hand from around Julia's neck. He gathered her into his arms and held her to him gently, reaching to find her pulse and relieved beyond his own imagining when he found the indication she still lived.         

"Julia..."         

She began to stir, then whimper in fright and pain. Barnabas held her tenderly, murmuring to her that everything would be all right. A startled intake of breath was Barnabas' only indication Julia had opened her eyes. She was staring at Adam, his body only inches away from her. Instinctively Julia moved toward him, reaching out to see if she could help him but Barnabas held her back and shook his head. Their gazes met.         

"He's dead, Julia."         

She relaxed into his arms, a sigh of relief leaving her. Then Julia sat up, eyes wide, frightened, as she realized what he had done.         

"Barnabas, Lang's message..."        

"It doesn't matter, Julia. You are safe, that's all I care about."        

"It does matter, Barnabas. If you..."         

"I made that decision when I pulled the trigger, Julia."         

Complete understanding and belief began to seep into Julia's mind. She once more met Barnabas' gaze, seeing in his eyes something she now realized had been there ever since the morning he killed Tom Jennings, but she had been unable to recognize or accept.         

"Barnabas..."         

"You are the woman I love, Julia."         

He gathered her to him and placed a gentle kiss on her mouth. Julia melted against him, praying this wasn't some oxygen deprived hallucination caused by Adam trying to kill her. When Barnabas repeated his words, whispering them in her ear, Julia knew it was real.         

Vicki's soft moan of pain brought them both back to the reality of the situation and their surroundings. With Barnabas' help, Julia got to her feet and once again checked Vicki. Her condition was much the same, and she glanced at Barnabas.         

"We need to get her out of here, Barnabas. The less she sees..."         

"Yes. We'll take her back to Collinwood, and from there call the sheriff."         

"What will we tell him? How can we explain all of this?"         

Barnabas reached for the sheet that had covered Eve and draped it over Adam's body, then looked around the cellar room.         

"We'll have to wake Willie and have him move everything out of here. It can be hidden in one of the far back rooms where I doubt the sheriff will look. So long as we do not disturb the body..."         

"Yes... I'll get my car."         

Julia started to leave, but Barnabas caught her hand and drew her back toward him. He placed a kiss on her mouth again, gave her a smile that sent her heart racing, and nodded. She returned his smile, then hurried from the cellar.

It was over. Adam's reign of terror was finished. No sign of the experiments were left when the sheriff arrived at the Old House to inspect the crime scene. Statements were taken, photos were snapped and an investigation begun. No one doubted Adam had been murderously insane, and Patterson was certain of a quick resolution to the case. Barnabas was not to be charged with murder, for he had been trying to protect the lives of two women, although he would have to give a formal statement, just for the record.         

Patterson had insisted Julia, Vicki and Carolyn all be examined by a physician to be sure they were all right and document the injuries Adam had caused them. The exams had taken longer than Julia had liked and she was returned to the Old House after dawn, dreading what she would find. As she entered the front door slowly, Julia listened hard. There was no sound but the ticking of the clock on the mantle. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. Walking into the drawing room, Julia looked up quickly and drew in a deep breath.         

"Barnabas?!"         

He stood in front of the drawing room windows, sunshine streaming onto his back. He smiled and wrapped Julia in his embrace as she hurried across the floor to him. They kissed deeply, then she pulled back and met his gaze. Barnabas shook his head in answer to her unasked question.         

"I do not know, Julia. I was prepared for the worst, I was beside my coffin downstairs, but... I did not need to retreat from the light of day."         

"Why? How?"         

"I can only speculate and it is something we may never know, but right now, I am not going to question why. I am simply going to enjoy the fact."         

Julia nodded and wrapped her arms around Barnabas' waist as she pressed her head against his chest. She heard his heart beating, she heard him breathing and just held him more tightly. How could this be happening? How could he suddenly be holding her the way she'd dreamed of after months of indifference and discomfort? As if sensing Julia's thoughts, Barnabas eased her away from him far enough so their gazes could meet. He reached up to caress her cheek.         

"I do not fully understand it either, Julia. All I know is that when Adam told me the woman I loved would die as his mate had, I did not think of Vicki at all, but of you. You are the woman I love."         

"I know, Barnabas. I can see the truth of it in your eyes. I... don't want to understand it, I just want it to be real."         

"It is, Julia, it is."         

She nodded her belief as she stretched up to kiss Barnabas with all the passion she'd kept bottled inside her from the instant she'd realized she was in love with him. Barnabas responded in kind.