Subj: Consequences of Falling ch. 64
Date: 8/17/01 3:29:23 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Nicole

January 11, 2001, The Old House, 6:55 PM

Barnabas was frantic. He had awaken to see that the chains had been removed from Julia's coffin. He checked the coffin to find her body gone. He saw no sign of a disturbance or struggle. Barnabas checked the lock and realized that it had not been damaged in any way. Someone had taken to time to carefully pick the lock and steal his wife. Barnabas rushed up into the drawing room. The only people there were Angelique and Quentin, both too engaged in their card game to care about him. "Have either of you seen Julia?"

"No," murmured Quentin, his eyes never wavering from his cards.

Barnabas thought otherwise. He noticed the way Quentin's collar seemed to cover too much of his neck. Barnabas ran towards Quentin and pulled back his collar. All that was revealed was unbroken skin. "Sorry to disappoint you," snapped Quentin.

Barnabas turned to Angelique and asked, "Have you seen her?"

"I've only been here ten minutes," answered Angelique. "I've not seen Julia since we've arrived here anyway."

Barnabas did not understand it. Neither Angelique nor Quentin had seen Julia. Cameron and Kelene had left. They had not even known that he had a wife. Josef was dead and unable to meddle. That left only two suspects. "Where are Chris and Constance?"

"They should be home momentarily," answered Quentin.

"They've been gone quite awhile," purred Angelique. "Do you really trust them alone in a car after what happened on the ninth?"

"That's so harsh, Angie." They turned to see Chris leaning on the pillar, looking surprisingly comfortable in his own skin and in the black suit. Barnabas thought it strange that he had worn a black suit to this hearing, but no one associated with the Collins family was known for normal behavior. Why not look like you are going to a funeral when you are fighting for your life? "I try not to make mistakes that will get me beaten more than once."

"How often do you succeed?" asked Angelique.

"That really doesn't matter," murmured Chris, "but nothing happened."

"Where is Constance?" asked Quentin.

"I'm here." Constance stood across from Chris. She was wearing a black pants suit. Barnabas thought that they looked like professional death. "It was easier than I thought it would be. We're in the free and clear."

"How?" asked Barnabas. "How could you prove that you were that those documents were legal when you forged them all?"

"We had a little help," said Chris.

"Who?"

A figure walked between Chris and Constance. The figure was clothed in a black cloak, its head covered by the hood. The figure removed the hood to reveal its identity. It was Julia. She looked striking, her bright crimson hair grazing her jaw and enhancing the angles of her face. She looked good in the black. Barnabas knew better than to approach her. The look on her face proved her anger. "How did you get her out?"

"Picked the lock," answered Constance. "We considered cutting the chains but it was easier to pick the lock. That is one cheap lock! It took about thirty seconds and it was open."

"Leave it to Barnabas to use the cheap lock," snapped Julia.

"I didn't expect anyone to try to remove you," countered Barnabas. "How did you survive in the sun?"

"I was never directly exposed to sunlight. I was covered heard to toe. The windows were tinted. I was never in any danger."

"Why would you risk it?"

"It was more important to save Constance and Chris from the new powers to be at Windcliffe. I leave them for a year and they fall apart Incompetence!" wailed Julia. "Someone had to show them who was the real authority. They knew who to trust. They believed every word I said."

Barnabas groaned and turned away. Julia had taken a chance best not taken. Did she do this to spite him? Did she have no care for her own life? "How long did it take?"

"A few hours," said Chris. "We were released around four."

"Then why did it take so long for you to return?" asked Quentin.

The three of them began to laugh softly, casting devious glances between each other before glaring back into the drawing room. "Don't be silly, Quentin! We were all well behaved. We had some things to look up," giggled Constance. "Chris and I thought that we would have to search out records, but Julia said that she could tell us the whole story." Their eyes shifted directly to Barnabas. "Were you ever going to tell Chris about his brother?"

"How do you fit that into a conversation? 'Oh, by the way, I've alternately staked your brother and exposed him to sunlight.' Do you want me to say I regret it because I don't? I did it to save others," said Barnabas.

"I can understand that," murmured Chris. He moved away from the pillar and walked into the drawing room, taking seat by the fire. "Anyway, we went to the House-by-the-Sea. I remembered reading about how vampires could turn into dust and go through keyholes. I suppose a part of me wanted Tom to be alive. We searched the house and found an empty coffin. So Tom is gone. I know why and I accept that."

"You're not angry?" asked Angelique.

"Oh, I'm mad as hell but there's nothing I can do about it. I could get angry at you and Barnabas but that doesn't bring my brother back. I can get mad at Quentin but that doesn't give me my life back. I have to be able to move on to the little bit of future I have left."

"What do you mean?" asked Constance.

"I'm going off the injections," said Chris. "Once the stuff filters through my system, I'll go back to my regular self. I'll feel and look the way I should."

"I don't think so." Constance moved into the drawing room. She took the letter opener from the desk and stalked towards Chris. She took his wrist and slashed it. Blood poured for a brief moment before the wound healed. "I don't think that's something that'll filter out of you any time soon," said Constance. "You've been injecting some ancient alchemy and it's with you to stay. Ask Barnabas: he'll be fine for a few years then--BOOM--he's a vamp again."

"Don't say that I'll revert to that!"

"I don't think you will," said Julia. "You were injecting blood that had been tweaked and added to that it's quite different from what flows in Barnabas and I. You are what you are and will remain so for the rest of your life--however long that may be."

Chris nodded and leaned back in his chair. Constance dropped the letter opener and sat next to Quentin. "Are we leaving tomorrow?" she asked quietly.

"I don't see why not," whispered Quentin. He looked over to Chris nd asked, "Are you still coming with us?"

"Yeah," mumbled Chris. "It's time to leave." He looked over to Angelique and asked, "Are you coming with us?"

"No, I'm going on vacation with Andrew." Angelique glanced awkwardly to Constance and asked, "Are you all going to live together?"

"No!" insisted Constance wearily. "We're driving to the airport together. Two hours...in one car...with these two...joy."

"You'll live." Julia walked into the room and said, "Now, I'm going to have to kick the four of you out of the house for awhile. I need to talk to Barnabas alone."

No one argued with her. They funneled out of the drawing room and out of the building, leaving Barnabas alone with Julia. She took off her cloak and laid it across a table, revealing that she she was wearing a flattering black dress. She looked wonderful but Barnabas dared not to say it. He did not know how she would react. "I'm not going back to that coffin until I have to and I won't be chained up again. Do you understand?" asked Julia.

"Yes," murmured Barnabas.

"Good. As for us, we should probably remain together...for appearances. We know the way thing stand but the others do not. No one should be let on that things have changed. Someone should be allowed to live with an illusion."

"Is this really necessary?" demanded Barnabas. "I know the way things stand."

"Do you?" Julia took the seat by the fire. Barnabas thought her smile devious. "I know you like me now," she cooed. "It's all too sad, really. I loved you so much. Did you notice? Not hardly. You hobbled after the pretty young things who ignored you. And now the tables have turned: you are crazy for me and I chase others...although I'm rarely denied. Just ask Hunter Haskell."

"You did not bite Carolyn's son!"

"He came to me and I did not bit him. Constance and Chris will confirm this for me." Julia leaned back in their chair, the smile still plastered across her lips. She was obviously enjoying this. "I'll see him tomorrow night. I'm sure Carolyn will not approve but there's no need for her to know. Besides, with all the weirdoes she dated, does she really have the right to judge!"

Barnabas could only groan. He no longer had a wife; he had a lustful daughter. He hated it that it made him want her all the more.

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