Chapter 3
(All Rights Reserved to Cassandra Clare)
Emma
By the time Emma got back to the Institute the wind had to started to pick up. She was being thrown around like a useless rag doll. Emma finally made it to the door and threw it open only to see Julian washing the dishes. He turned around to look at her and started toward her. Emma cursed in her mind and ran to the stairs, but Julian was quicker. He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. She looked up at his handsome face. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were wide, he looked little angry. She quickly looked down at the floor so she wouldn't start blushing as he said that they needed to talk. Dread washed over her. She really didn't want to talk and opened her mouth to start to protest but before she could utter a word out, the windows burst. Julian grabbed her and pulled her under him- protecting her, as they dropped to the floor. Emma screamed as the outside became the inside, but over her screams she could hear a chorus of raspy voices whispering her name. Her heart stopped as she thought this was familiar. Her dream, this was her dream, more like nightmare that she had almost every night. Emma looked up to see Julian above her, his body poised over hers. Emma met his brilliant green eyes and saw fear and confusion. He was trying to say something, but she couldn't hear it over the raspy wind and whispers. Her whole body shook with fear. This couldn't be happening, it was a dream, and dreams don't just become real. The darkness took over the light. Emma couldn't see anything, not even Julian above her. She closed her eyes wishing for this to be over, praying to whatever god there was above. She felt Julian's arms tense around her and pull her even closer to his body. She was so close she could feel the heat coming of his body, a paradox to the cold wind whisping around them.
Bright light erupted around them, blinding her for mere seconds. When Emma could finally see, she was still wrapped in Julian embrace, but the kitchen was a mess. Julian started to move up, without letting her go, so Emma was basically sitting in his lap. Even after what just happened, she still started to blush. The parabatais looked around at the kitchen and it looked like a tornado or hurricane had gone through it. Dishes were strewn all across the floor, broken and cracked; the long table was flipped over and on its side. The sink was broken and water was shooting up from it like a fountain. Emma turned around in horror as a chill settled on her back. She turned around and gazed up the wall in horror. In pitch black ink, written on the wall, was her name.
Julian
Julian had no idea what was happening. It was like a black cloud had enveloped everything and anything. He couldn't see anything and tightened his grip on Emma just to be sure she was still there. Although Julian couldn't see anything he could feel Emma quivering in his grip. Then he heard it, the whispers. It was like an ensemble for a dark play had come to together, but instead of saying something creepy they were saying Emma, over and over again. Why were the saying Emma's name? Were they here to take Emma? No, he wouldn't let that happen, he would have to be dead before they could have Emma. Emma was screaming by now and her screams weren't even loud enough to mask the whispers. Julian's heart raced as he gripped Emma even tighter, trying to tell her he was with her that he would protect her, but the wind was to loud. The room suddenly burst in a heavenly bright light forcing him to close his eyes. The wind died down and the whispers dissipated. He sat up, not letting go of the weeping girl in his arms. The kitchen was an absolute mess. It looked like a freight train had come through there not stopping for anything. Emma sat up and looked at him with wide terrified eyes. A faint blush crept across her face as she realized that she was sitting in his lap. She stood, letting his arms drop as she assessed the damage of the kitchen. She turned around to the wall that was to the back of him and stood shell-shocked straight. He had only seen Emma that fearful when she saw her own parents wash up on the beach. Julian stood up abruptly and saw what she was staring at. It was her name, scrolled on the wall in thick, black, clumpy ink.
"Emma. It's going to be okay. Whatever was here is gone now. It's going to be okay. We are going to find whoever is doing this, I promise you." He said, not really believing it himself. He went over to Emma and placed his hands on her arms turning her around so she was looking at him. He lifted up her chin with his finger and looked into her deep brown eyes. She looked up at him and then buried herself into his arms and sobbed into his shirt. She was trying to tell him something, but it was lost in the tears and sobs. She was clutching the back of his shirt and he wrapped his arms around her skinny frame.
After a couple minutes she let go of him and pulled away. In the midst of the trashed kitchen she told him all about the nightmares she been having and how this was just like her dream. She told him about the parabatai curse and how she stilled loved him, and how she was only with Mark on an agreement. After telling him all that she looked back at his astonished face and waited for him to say something, anything. Julian didn't even know where to start. Just as he was about to say something and the door to the kitchen burst open revealing a worried Cristina and Mark, along with the rest of the Blackthorn kids. They rushed over to where Emma and Julian stood, ignoring the mess on the floor. Cristina threw her arms around Emma saying how they heard the noises and tried to get into the kitchen but the door wouldn't budge open. Tavvy ran around everyone and threw himself into Julian's legs and, like a little monkey, hung on for dear life. Julian leaned down and picked up the boy and hugged muttering soothing things. Mark hovered over them like a frantic mother trying to apply iratzes to each of them. Apparently both Emma and Julian were covered in cuts and bruises, but neither of them felt the pain. The whole group moved out of the damaged kitchen and into the library where there was seats for everyone. Julian and Emma sat on the couch with Cristina and Mark while the rest of the Blackthorn children sat on the floor in front of them. Julian told them what happened in the kitchen and about Emma's dreams, leaving out the parts of the parabatai curse, and how they had to find whoever is doing this, while, Emma looked down at her cut hands the whole time. Julian knew that Emma was still shocked at what happened and knew that he needed to be there for her. He took Emma's hand in his own and, with his stele, he drew an iratze and he wrote out that he was there and it was going to be okay. Without letting go of her hand he looked at the fearful faces around him and cleared his throat. Normally Emma was the strong one, now it was his turn. He asked Livvy and Ty if they could research and take samples of the black ink on the wall to see if they could find out where it could be from. Julian told Dru to take Tavvy up to they playroom with Mark and play something fun. Dru reluctantly was able to pry the little boy off of Julian and she and Mark went upstairs along with the twins. Christina went off to the kitchen to start cleaning it up and soon only Julian and Emma were left in the large room. Julian looked over to the now silent Emma and his heart broke.
"Come on Em, lets go get cleaned up. After we could go on a walk, just you and me." He got up off the couch and pulled Emma with him. They exited the room and went up the long set of stairs to Emma's room. He opened her door and guided her to the bed in which she collapses on. Julian, concerned turned back around and closed the door. He kneeled on the side of the bed and made eye contact with Emma. He could tell she wasn't okay.
"Come on Em, talk to me. I won't let these nightmares ruin our lives. I don't care if it kills me, I will protect you with my life. I love you and nothing that you can say or do will ever stop me from loving you. These last few weeks have been hell without you. I need you and you need me. Just tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it." He said in a hushed tone as he caressed her cheek. Emma didn't say anything and Julian sighed. He got up from the floor and was about the exit the room till Emma grabbed him arm. She looked at him with big tired eyes and said one word that made Julian's heart contract and his world brighten.
"Stay."