~~*~~

Epilogue

A Week or So Later…

"Hey, handsome," Barry drops another drink on my table. She nods her head at the door, "Something like trouble is looking for you."

I was too involved in my drinking to not have caught her scent. Fuck… this is worst than trouble; this was death's mistress.

And God help me but she was a beauty in black.

"Juliet." I acknowledged her, and trying desperately not to stare.

Juliet Van Heusen. Alive. Beautiful. Free.

Despite Chase's rants about how we had "ruined" Juliet's chance for freedom, there had been a lot of mounting evidence to support the story Alex and I had to tell. You know, the story about the power hungry couple that wanted a half-and-half so badly that they had done everything including murder, blackmail, illegal experimentations to get that child.

The Counsel, wanting a lesser of the two evils (because sadly, our story wasn't as bad as what would have happened in the future were Ivy Rhodes successfully birth a monster), immediately processed Juliet's release and sent out a P.R. to the mortal realm to explain to the "humans" about the Rhodes's plot to have a child using murder, blackmail, and adultery (with Rhodes's sperm count low, Ivy having an affair with Dye, Juliet and Rhodes finding out, Rhodes killing Dye, Juliet being witness to Rhodes's murder by his pregnant wife, Ivy threatened to abort Dye's child unless Juliet takes the blame, Juliet goes to jail a martyr).

Obviously our side of the story is a lot less complicated, and a lot more kick-ass. But, hey, what can you do? Humans! Go figure…

But back to a sight I'd never thought I'd see in the flesh.

"Justin." she replied and sat herself down across from me in my booth. Her body language screamed pain and anger, though her eyes cried sorrow and heartbreak.

I held my drink up, "You looked better in yellow."

She smoothed her black dress; an attire common for those in mourning but damn she looked like a vixen. "You looked better dead."

I gave her a quizzical look, to which she replied without joke, "In my dreams I killed you."

"Was that before or after you found out I killed your fiance?"

She looked away before meeting me with cold eyes, "I think it was the night after your visit with me in jail." She sniffed, "I should have known then that you wouldn't have done what I asked of you."

I couldn't help myself. My body was still sore from being shot. My sister almost got eaten alive. The Counsel was pissed that I cost them a shit load of money in clean-up (both literally and P.R.-wise). I was pissed that I lost a shit load of money despite my good intentions.

I couldn't help it. I snapped at her. "What? Asked to let you rot in jail for a crime you didn't commit? Asked to ignore a psycho bitch's plan to release a fetus that could grow into a flesh-eating goblin?"

"You should have let it go, Justin." She hissed. "Because of you, my Charlie is dead."

"That thing almost killed Alex. That thing was a dangerous creature with a hunger for human blood like vampires, yet had the evil mind of a powerful wizard. That thing I blew into tiny pieces was not your 'Charlie.'" I hissed back.

I could feel her rage and I almost welcomed it. "Justin Russo--"

"Your Charles was a good man," I said, despite still angry and desperately wanting to throw a punch. "That thing you sacrificed your life over was not him."

She looked away when I uttered those words. She knew I was right… and yet…

Juliet played with the ring on her finger. The diamond sparkled blindingly, much like Alex's.

I knew she would never forgive me for what I had done. And God help me, I didn't blame her.

"How's Alex?" she whispered.

To say I was a little surprised by her question was an understatement. I took a sip of my beer, "Her bratty self. I owe her a new leather jacket…" because I blew up your fiance and chunks of himself stained her old jacket, but I didn't quite say that part out loud.

She nodded and I watched her play with her ring. "The Counsel said that you had no other option…"

"He was going after Alex."

Juliet gave a small smile. She twisted her ring a little, "That was a dangerous spell you performed, apparently black magic-worthy, huh?"

I could feel my eyes darkened. "I couldn't get to her in time. I had no other choice."

She finally looked up at me, her own eyes cloudy with emotion. "That was the same thing I told myself over and over again in jail. As to my reason for taking the blame on a crime I didn't commit. On a crime done by a creature I couldn't recognize. Because I couldn't get to my Charlie in time. I had no other options to do right by what remained of him, monster or not…"

I watched Juliet slid out of the booth. I knew deep in my gut that the moment she walked out that door, I would never see her again. At least not in my lifetime.

To my shock, she leaned close and gave me a light kiss on the cheek. I felt her breath, warm yet cold, tickle my ear as she whispered, "Funny what we tell ourselves about the choices we make for the one's we love…"

And then she was gone.

Leaving nothing behind but the memories.

~~*~~

They say sometimes monsters are born… and sometimes they are made… I look in the mirror everyday and I know that, good wizard or not, I am one of them.

Welcome to my hell.

END OF JUST IN CASE FILE: 001

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A/N: Thank you all for reading my story! Woohoo! I've never been more pleased to have contributed to this wonderful community! Here's to hoping that I can do more... I mean, hell, at least expect more "Just In Case File" stories... As always, let me know what you think! I do enjoy the reviews, but I actually would enjoy more or less knowing how you felt about my story. Thank you again and until next time!