The Bonds of Love, Conclusion
Date: 3/23/98
From: barnster

Receiving no answer to her knock, Julia, with medical bag in hand, let herself in. Maggie was still knelt near Barnabas, who remained unconscious.

Julia quickly knelt down beside Maggie. "How long has he been like this?" she asked, as she glanced towards the window.

"About five minutes." Julia began to examine Barnabas. Though he was paler than she had ever seen him before, she was surprised to find he had a burning fever.

At her touch, he groaned, and muttered "Josette."

Turning to Maggie, she said, "We've got to get him upstairs. I'll be able to examine him better there."

"Shouldn't we get him to his coffin?"

"no. He has a fever, but I don't know why. Unless it's linked to what happened at the hospital."

"What happened at the hospital?"

"I'll tell you everything you want to know, when we've taken him upstairs."

Between them, they managed to get Barnabas into a darkened room. He lay motionless, almost lifeless, it seemed to Maggie. But Julia assured her, he was very much alive. 'Alive' being the operative word. She had explained what had happened at Wyndcliffe, and a blood test confirmed what she had suspected. Somehow, Barnabas had been able to attack the 'vampire' cell. But what had caused this to happen, was a mystery.

On questioning Maggie on what had happened, leading to Barnabas' collapse, they discovered that the happenings at Wyndcliffe, coincided with the happenings at the old house.

"But what about the dizzy spells?" asked Maggie.

"I don't know. Only Barnabas can answer that."

"How long will he stay like this?"

"I don't know. Until his fever breaks, there's only so much I can do. Which isn't nearly enough. The blood sample I took, shows that the cell, isn't giving up without a fight. Until then, it's a waiting game."

The fever worsened if anything, over the succeeding days and nights. And Maggie began to despair for his life. It seemed ironic, that he could defeat Nicholas and Angelique, and then be at the mercy of the curse.

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Maggie was gazing out the window, when she felt arms encircle her around the waist from behind, and someone kiss the back of her neck. Startled, she turned around......straight into the beaming face of Barnabas! "You're all right!" she cried.

His answer was to pull her to him, and kiss her ardently.

Julia insisted on taking another blood sample. When she returned there was a smile of triumph on her face. "The curse has been destroyed."

"How?" demanded Barnabas.

Julia smiled. "Love."

" I don't understand."

"The curse was defeated by love. The love you felt for Maggie, was enough to defeat not only the curse, but Nicholas and Angelique, too."

"Can you be certain that the curse will never return?"

"Positive. You're free Barnabas. Completely free."

"What about Nicholas and Angelique. Can they return?"

"I wouldn't think so. The bonds of love are a powerful weapon. You both defeated Nicholas and Angelique's plans, because of that love."

"I wish I could be as certain of that, as you seem to be."

"Believe it, Barnabas. They won't be back."

Down in the far reaches of the Netherworld, two skeletons, sit side, by side. One them has blonde hair, and the other... a grey trilby......

The bonds of love, will always win out.

The End.