Julian.

A/N This is in response to a Gidgetgirl challenge, the challenge can be found at the end of this story. As always I just want to thank Meals (Xanya-Forever), because she is the lace to my shoe.

Ethan Rayne sat outside in the rays of the setting sun, soaking up the air of freedom while nursing a half filled tumbler of whiskey. It had become a ritual of sorts since he had been released from the dank hole The Initiative had called a detention facility. Three years of making nice to a bunch of military types in a sodding desert in the middle of nowhere was not how Ethan Rayne liked to spend his time, and if that wasn't enough, within two months of his entering that hellhole they had him doing magic by order of the government. Rehabilitating his ass! The magic he had done in those three years was darker and more chaos worthy then what he had done in his lifetime, and that in itself was a worthy achievement.

After three years he had finally determined that enough was enough. Sure, he had learned some nasty tricks that he wouldn't mind trying out on the unsuspecting public, but he wanted to drink something that did not taste like cow piss and eat something not mass produced. After promising impossible favours to powerful associates, he had walked into the scorching sun a free man. Not that he wasn't still doing 'favours' for the American government, but at least he was back in the mother country. The setting sun was doing nothing to remind him of the freedom he had once craved. Its blood red streaks reminded him of the bashings the younger guards used to hand out whenever it suited them. Shaking his head, Ethan picked up the bottle of good English whiskey and continued to drown his sorrows.

---

Outside the world was turning dark, the setting sun making a blazing red trail across the sky. Inside a decrepit, rotting house, a child huddled closer to a dirt stained wall, her dark unkempt hair hiding a pale face. She whimpered softly as a crash from the next room made the walls shake.

She hated it there, in that house. Hated her Mama for leaving her there, hated Pa who was forever hitting and screaming. Hated the endless stream of women who came through the door. She could hear the cry of one right now, her high-pitched voice easily carrying through the walls.

Hatred come easily to Julian, her Mama had hated her and that's why she had left, and Pa hated her, but that was okay because she hated Pa too.

She could remember a time before Pa, just her and Mama. Mama had taken her to the park and Mama had loved her.

The grunting and giggles become more pronounced and Julian covered her ears. She hated it when Pa brought women home, it meant she had to stay quiet and still. Julian hated staying quiet and still, but if she didn't, Pa would get really angry and then she'd end up with more bruises.

Looking for something to keep out the noise, Julian's eyes fell on the room's wardrobe, its heavy wooden doors slightly open. Julian stared; that never, ever happened. Pa always made sure that both wardrobes in the house were closed and locked; it was where he kept his things, and she wasn't allowed to touch his things. She remembered when she had touched his good knife in the kitchen once. Luckily the hotplate wasn't hot enough to leave serious burns on her hand, but she had learnt her lesson.

Turning her head away she tired to ignore it. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12…. Her eyes were once again focused on the wardrobe and its open door. 13, 14, 15. Just a little look, Pa wouldn't know. Julian got up, careful not to make a sound as she tiptoed across the room; her hand hesitated on the door handle. Pa would be so mad if he found out, but Pa was always mad and he was busy now, just a little look.

The doors opened quietly revealing inch by inch the contents of the wardrobe; she wanted to find treasures like gold and sparkling swords or toys like the girl next door had, but instead there was a pile of clothes and some old books. Why would Pa keep these locked up? Julian was so caught up in her disappointed she didn't notice the absence of the grunts and giggles. As she reached to pick up one of the tattered books she didn't notice the soft footsteps and the creak of the old door. As she watched an old photo fall from the book she didn't hear a man's heavy breathing.

The women in the next room sat up as she heard a child's cry pierce the heavy silence; it was shrill and filled with pain. Every time she came to this dump she tired to ignore the small slip of a child who was usually huddled in an out of the way corner; she tried to ignore the discoloured bruisers that covered the small child's body; she tried to ignore the lost innocence in its eyes. It was so hard though, and many a time she found herself about to pick up the phone to call child services, but then she would see Mick in her mind, his giant, muscled body taut with rage, his eyes shining with insanity and she banished the thought of contacting child services from her mind. But that cry - coming to a decision she wrapped a dirty sheet around her naked body and shuffled down the hall, pausing before the partially opened door where the sounds of a fist striking flesh echoed. She waited, knowing Mick would be so mad, but another cry sounded and she steeled herself and entered the room.

Julian curled up in a ball, hoping Pa would stop soon. She hurt and she wanted it to stop. She could hear his voice, the angry whispered words making her shake even more than she was… "after all I have done for you..." She tried to block them out, but as he grabbed her hair to pull her upright, it was impossible "... Stupid worthless piece of shit…" She hated him, she wanted him to disappear like Mama and then maybe she could have a nice home with a dog and a doll. He never disappeared though, he was always there "…. Should have taught you a lesson long ago…." He hadn't ever been this bad before "…. Whore!" Hate him hate him HATE HIM!

Julian didn't notice that she was glowing faintly, and neither did Mick as his fist swing towards Julian's leg. What he did notice was the slight burning sensation that spread like crawling ants all over his body. His arm stopped its descent and instead become taut, as the slight burning sensation became a raging inferno and he let out an excruciating scream that escaped the confines of the house and shattered through the neighborhood.

The women at the door watched in horror as Mick's skin seemed to be burned away by an invisible fire. Her voice joined his as she watched, panic freezing her to the spot.

Julian didn't notice the screams or the fact that Pa had stopped hitting her. Tears dripped down her bruised face as she stared at the photo that had fallen out of the book. The women in it had shining dark red hair and a blinding smile as she stared down at the little baby in her arms… "Mama" Julian whispered before slipping into darkness.

(Okay So I'm very nervous about posting this, would you be so kind as to tell me what you think. Thank you)