Trouble Awakens

Summary : My take on what could have happened after Julia awakened in the end of the Dark Shadows movie. Julia returns to Collinswood and trouble is just around the corner with two vampires in one town. Slightly AU because of no Vicky and eventual Julia/Barnabus romance. Based on the 2012 movie, not the TV series!

Disclaimer : The concept of Dark Shadows belongs to whoever created the TV series and the characters as they are belong to Tim Burton. I'm just borrowing them!

Chapter One

Her eyes snapped open. She was numb across her entire body, bar her neck, which still felt sore and painful. She was dimly aware of a gag across her mouth and a large weight keeping her ankles rooted towards the sea bed. Reaching down her hands, she used her sharp, overly long nails to cut the rope attaching her ankles to the rock holding her down. Once she had done this, she used all her strength to swim up to the surface, remove the gag and attempt to dry off slightly. For one moment, she was terrified when the sunlight shone onto her face, but was surprised to find that she did not burn. However, this happiness was short lived as her skin began to sting and burn. When she felt this, she bolted into an old house that she knew was empty, as the occupier, one of her old drinking buddies, was on holiday. She dried off and reached into the wardrobe to find something suitable to wear.

Eventually, she stood at the full length mirror, applying her bright red lipstick and admiring her appearance. She had selected a bright violet dress with a stooping neckline and a shorter skirt than she would normally wear, accompanied by matching six-inch heels. She felt positively dizzy with the anticipation of what was to come. She would see the people who she had come to see as her family for the past five years. Elizabeth had been like a sister to her and Carolyn like a niece. David had almost become like a son to her, if the reason for her being there had not been because the boy was convinced he had seen his mother's ghost. She had heard that Roger had gone, but she never liked the man anyway. But the person she was most longing to see was the one who had done this to her. Oh, she couldn't wait to see Barnabas' face.

Taking one last look in the mirror, she set off for Collinswood. When she arrived, she rang the bell and was not surprised when the door was not answered. Willie Loomis had always been useless. Not particularly caring for the privacy of the family, she pushed open the large wooden doors and entered the hall, her bright red hair bouncing on her shoulder and her heels clacking loudly against the stone floor. She was beginning to grow impatient when four figures descended the staircase, the two females groaning from lack of sleep and the two males at complete opposites. The elder of the two, by far, hung back, while the younger hurtled into the arms of the unsuspecting redhead.

"Julia, you're back!" exclaimed David Collins, tightening his hold on the woman as if she would disappear if he let go.

"Hey kid. How're you? Did you do the diary I asked you to?"

"I wrote down every word."

"Good boy! I'll read them at breakfast, okay?"

"Okay!" he exclaimed and ran back upstairs to bed, closely followed by Carolyn. Elizabeth descended the staircase and wrapped her arms around Julia, while Barnabas still had not moved.

"Julia, where have you been? We've been so worried about you!" she exclaimed over the physician's shoulder.

"Really?" asked Julia, her eyes not leaving the face staring at the carpeted steps of the staircase. Turning her face back towards the matriarch, who had released her, though still holding her arms, she continued. "I am sorry that I didn't contact you. I guess you could say that I was a little...tied up." she finished, staring once again at the man leaning on the banister, only to find that he was looking back slightly guiltily. 'Good!' she thought.

"I am sorry, Elizabeth, but I think I'll have to go straight up to bed. I feel like I haven't slept in months." she said, looking once again at Barnabas, who still looked guilty.

"Of course. You remember where your room is, don't you?"

"Elizabeth, I lived for five years compared to the couple of months I've been gone. I think I'll manage to remember."

She had begun to ascend the stairs when Elizabeth called after her.

"Oh, Julia? Do you want a drink?"

"No, thank you." she called back, turning around to face them. "I've given up."

She then turned back and continued her ascent to her welcoming bed, leaving two shocked and bemused adults in her wake.

A/N : Just to clear some things up, Julia is really, really, really close to David and he tells her everything, the house has already been rebuilt, there is no Victoria or Roger and the confrontation between Barnabas and Julia will come next chapter and the chapter after. Also, I had to do the 'giving up alcohol' bit because I thought it was funny. It's probably something to do with her being a vampire. She's not a fully converted vampire yet because she was in a coma under water.