Dedication:This one's for Corine, my fellow Julian-fan!
Disclaimer:Everything belongs to LJS. Unfortunately :P
The beach was quiet at twilight, only a few people rollerbladed on the boardwalk, a few lovers watched sunset together, felt the magic as the sun and moon kissed wash over them. Julian Harman-Redfern sat with his back up against the sea wall, letting memories wash over him. This was the first time he'd been in LA. The first time in this lifetime. But in his last... Oh, so many memories. Painful and wonderful, each one of them. He was startled out of his reverie by the annoyingly tinny ring of his phone. Sighing, he removed it from his pocket, and saw it was Ash calling. With a smile, Julian answered it. Ash Redfern was one of his best friends, and with any luck, this call would bring him out of his stupor.
"Ja, Ash. How you doing? A misson, huh?" Julian chuckled, then a dark thought crossed his mind. "Lupe there?" Lupe had been his girlfriend, but had cheated on him with the head of Theorn's security, Nillson. A very sore subject. Hearing both of them were there only helped put him in an even worse mood. "Ash, I don't exactly want to see them right now. Or ever. Really? She see another Wild Power? Well, if Aradia saw it, must be important. I trust her. So where d' you want me?" Julian listened to the address, and went pale. He knew the address, very well. "Audrey's house," he whispered, then frowned at Ash' next words. He'd cut them off, but Julian could guess easily what the name would be. He sighed. "Ash, I'm not sure I can. I-" He paused, listened to Ash. His cousin had saved his life. He _did_ owe him. "Alright, Ash. Be there soon as I can." Hanging up the phone, Julian stood, feeling very odd. He'd known that Jenny would still be alive, would, in fact, be about his age. The gods had a sense of humour. He had been reincarnated as award for his 'noble sacrifice', to help out in the Millenium battle, and, he suspected, to be forced to watch the love of his lives marry that idiot Tommy.
Shaking his head, *Well, she's in danger. I'm not going to let her get hurt if I can stop it.* That thought didn't stop the horrible ache in his chest. He ignored it as he climbed into his BMW convertible. Putting on Digimortal as loud as he could stand it, he set off, knowing the route, as he had seen Jenny and her friends travel it scores of times. Jenny. That thought brought a new wave of awe for her. For her wonderful lightness, her strength, good humour, her beauty. Oh, her beauty. Eyes as green as the Nile, beautiful blonde hair that felt like silk under his fingers, skin that was so, so soft-
His line of thought was cut off as something rammed into his car, going slowly as it was up the drive to Audrey's house. With wide eyes, he saw it was a bear, a 'shifter. It rammed the car again, and Julian leapt out of it. If there were 'shifters out here, and obviously on the side of the Night World, he had to get to the house and ward it _now_. Running fast, he noticed, with a sinking heart and rising fear that he ran past several more 'shifters, and vamps with them. A wolf barrelled into him and ran it's claws over his back and round his side as the rolled. Seeing stars Julian bit his lip against the pain, felt his fangs draw blood. He was far faster and more agile than his opponant, and he managed to scramble from under the wolf, and made another run for the house. Skidding, seeing a tiger in front of him, he didn't turn in time. The tiger hit the side of his face, and Julian felt the screaming pain of deep cuts and a likely broken cheekbone. Ignoring it, glad of the pain as it meant he was still alive. *FASTER!!* he screamed at himself, heavy boots now thumping on concrete. He made himself speed up, and not having time to fiddle with the door, launched himself through the window. Feeling glass make even more lecerations on his body, he rolled onto his feet. Without even thinking, he drew runes in the air before him.
"Elhaz! Nauthitz!" He screamed, and orangy-gold witch fire dripped from his fingers, and solidifed just outside the window, and he knew, all over the house. It flashed brightly, then Julian fell to his knees, noticing dimly as conciousness slipped from him that he was kneeling in a pool of his own blood. The last thing he heard was Ash screaming his name before darkness covered over his eyes.
Ash was looking at her with worried lilac eyes. "He'll be okay, but he needs some blood. He's half vampire," he added by way of explanation. Jenny nodded and picked up a sharp shard of glass from the floor, and handed it to Ash, who made a small nick in her wrist. Jenny held the wrist over Julian's mouth, and a small but steady flow of blood dripped into his mouth. After an agonisingly long wait, he started to drink, and after a few moments, gently took hold of the wrist that was offered to him. Their skin touched and Jenny felt a shock wave pass thru her. Julian looked at her with bleary eyes, looking confused. His eyes widened, and, like Ash's, changed colour, but between different shades of blue.
"Drink," Jenny whispered to him. He did as she asked, felt the link that had been activated the second they touched come to life, and she marveled at it. It was a beautiful thing. She _felt_ him, like a quilt wrapped safetly around her. She felt his gratitude for the blood she was giving, and the word 'soulmate' was offered to her mind. With a smile, she realised this was what they were. The other half of herself, the part she'd always known was missing. Hadn't she felt a gaping hole within her when he had died? And now, he had been given a second chance, and so had she.
*Julian,* she thought, thankful to the gods for bringing him back to her.
*Jenny,* she heard in her mind, and she stared at him, startled. His eyes were a hazy blue, and he smiled at her. *Thank you. You saved my life.* He pushed her away, and sat up to smile at her, then looked out the window as it flashed orange as a wolf jumped at it. He stood, some what unsteadily, but Ash caught his arm.
"You okay, Ju-Ju?" Jenny looked in amusement at him, at the nickname Ash had used, and Julian grinned, slightly embarrassed as he nodded.
"Can you get Winnie in here to help me?" He asked Ash, who nodded and looked as though he was concentrating, then a red-haired girl appeared from the Myers' living room. Her eyes widened when she saw Julian, still covered in blood, and ran over.
"Are you alright?" She asked, looking worried, touching the healing wounds on his cheek gently.
"I'll be fine after rest an' a shower. But we need to get the shields strengthened first. I was kinda in a hurry," he explained quickly. Winnie nodded, and took Julian's hand.
"You sure you're up to it?" Julian didn't answer, merely closed his eyes and muttered a few words under his breath. He then walked toward the door, Winnie following him, and with a knife he pulled from his boot, drew a line of runes on the wood. Wiping some blood from his stomach, he brushed it over the figures, then said their names. The orange glow changed thru the spectrum to blue, and both Winnie and Julian turned, looking exhausted. "Never realised that took so much energy, J."
He shrugged, yawning - a surprising human gesture that delighted Jenny, and stirred up tender feelings inside her. "Only because you're not used to it." He then swayed and pitched forward, Ash rushing to catch him.
"He's okay, just needs to rest," Ash informed them, and picked him up. He looked up to the balcony where Audrey and her mother stood. "Is there somewhere I can put him?" Mrs. Myers nodded, and indicated for them to follow her, and Jenny ignored Audrey's horrified look and went after Ash. They were taken to a lavishly furnished guestroom, and Jenny was surprised that Mrs. Myers allowed the bloody boy to be allowed on the designer bed coverings.
"I'll go get some water so he can be cleaned up, and some fresh clothes," she said, before disapearing. Ash sat on the seat next to the bed, and looked carefully at Jenny, making her feel like a bug under a microscope.
"You're her, aren't you? Jenny Thornton." His voice was full of awe and respect, and she wondered why.
"Yes. What... What did he tell you?" She was very curious as to whether even these Night People would have believed him. "How did he know?" She blushed. "I have so many questions, I don't know where to begin." She looked up to see Ash smiling, amused. "What did he tell you?"
"You want his life story, huh? Well, okay. He was born in Iceland, spent the first five years of his life there. Then he moved over here. He's my best friend, as well as my cousin, always has been. When he was fifteen, he remembered about his past life." He reached down the take Julian's arm, and turned it over. Jenny gasped, seeing the long, vertical scar down his wrist. "He couldn't handle it. He's a good guy, and couldn't stand the thought of being what he was. I guess you know all about that?" Getting a nod from her, he continued. "His mother found him, almost dead, and got him to a healer just in time. And over time, he got used to it, I guess. He joined Circle Daybreak at sixteen, when it was hardly anything at all, helped Thierry set it up. Who he knows from about six thousand years ago, incidentally."
"I guess that's why you beleived him." Jenny looked down at him, and marvelled at him; both his beauty and spirit.
"There are a lot of Old Souls in Daybreak, though they've all pretty much been humans in the past. Jules is one of a kind." He noticed Jenny's tender smile. "You're soulmates, then?"
Glancing up in surprise at the blunt question, Jenny nodded. "Yes. I think I always thought we were, but..." She trailed off, Tom's betreyal still too fresh, too raw.
"You had a boyfriend. Tom?" Ash asked, frowning.
"Yes. Had." The answer might have been a little abrupt, but fortunately Mrs. Myers walked in then, with a bowl of water, Audrey following behind with a basket. Putting the water down on the bedside table, she handed a flannel to Ash, who started cleaning the sleeping Julian up. Jenny moved to take it from him, but Audrey stopped her.
"I think we need to talk, cherie," she hissed, and pulled Jenny into the corridor. She crossed her arms across a Gucci clothed chest, and raised an incredulous, perfectly shaped eyebrow at her friend. "Do my eyes decieve me, or is that him? Julian?" The name was said with an angry undertone, and Jenny riled at it.
"Yes, it is Julian. He's been reborn, and he's my soulmate." Audrey stared at her. "He's a Daybreaker, Audrey. He tried to kill himself when he remembered about being a Shadowman! I felt him, Audrey. I know he won't hurt us."
Pursing her lips, Audrey looked for a long time at her friend, then nodded, somewhat reluctantly. "Alright. I beleive you are, but I'm not sure he won't hurt us. If nothing else, it'll help you get over Tom." That name was said with even more anger, but Jenny was glad of it. She hated Tom now even more than Audrey. It had been her he cheated on, twice, all the while pretending he still cared for her, and making her feel guilty about Julian. She shook her head.
"I am over Tom. But I wouldn't mind making him suffer." She smiled wickedly, and Audrey smiled in approval.
"You have a plan?"
"For a start, letting him see me with Julian, ecstatically happy. To be honest, I've had more than enough of everything for today, and would be very glad of a mug of pure caffine."
Audrey smiled, and led her into the kitchen. "We'll have to see what we can do."