"Mick, we should get to the library. Jerome-" she broke off mid-sentence. How could she be so insensitive? She shouldn't bring up her relationship when her cousin's had just crumbled underneath him. "Everyone will wonder where I've gone." She amended.

Mick nodded. "We'd better get going." They stood up and walked together to the old library, the walk mostly silent, until Mick spoke and said, "Jules, do you want me to go?"

"Mick, if it's in your best interest, which it is, then yes. Mara did the right thing. She loves you, but she doesn't want to hold you back."

"You really think so?" asked Mick hopefully as they approached their destination.

"I'm sure of it." Juliana said positively, thinking about how torn Mara was over Mick these past few days.

They then entered into the building, and went immediately to Jerome who was closest to the door.

"You and Mara broke up?" Jerome asked Mick, to what to Juliana seemed a bit too happy. She narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend as he offered to talk to Mara for Mick, saying he and Mara were close. But how close, is what Juliana really wanted to know.

So later, when Jerome was talking to Mick, Juliana slipped into Mara's room and noiselessly walked over to the bed. Mara was crying, playing with the bracelet Mick had given her a while ago, looking depressed.

"Hey." Juliana started.

"Julie? What're you doing here?" Mara snapped her head up to look at Juliana.

"I'm not here to apologize, but I'm calling a truce for now, until Mick leaves."

Mara paused, and Juliana took that time to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Mick shouldn't see his two girls fighting when he's leaving so soon. It's unfair."

"Easy for you to say, you'll have him for life."

"Okay, yes, I will. He's as good as my brother, but Mara, why live in the future? Just stay in the now. It's healthier and happier that way. At least, mostly."

"Julie," Mara shook her head, "I want him to stay."

Juliana scooted closer. "But he can't. He'll come back sometime, eventually. I swear. He's told me a billion times how much he loves you."

"Funny, Jerome goes on about you all the time as well." Mara smiled.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he says he can't live without you, he loves you, he goes on about how perfect and beautiful you are…He thinks the world of you Julie."

Juliana took in a breath, then flashed a grin in Mara's direction. "Good to know. But honestly, Jerome and I are totally different from you and Mick. We would know, those two boys can't be any more different."

"Yeah." Agreed Mara thoughtfully, then the pair broke out into laughter. It wasn't friends again, but a truce.

The next morning at breakfast, Mick stood up and announced he was leaving for Australia for tomorrow, and Mara got up and ran out in tears. Juliana, standing with one of Jerome's arms around her, pulling her to him, as Mick said this, forced Jerome away, and went after Mara.

And Trudy was leaving too. Just a peachy way to start off a morning, isn't it?

At school, Juliana was with Mara, still talking, Juliana trying to comfort Mara, and also about how they wanted Jerome to help Poppy, when Jerome sauntered over.

Words were exchanged, and Mara left in a huff, just in time for Mick to walk up and demand to know what Jerome did.

"It's me who's getting slammed!" Jerome protested.

Juliana, sick and tired of all the bickering, walked in the opposite direction that Mara had gone, and Mick followed her, but not before Mick muttered that the sooner he left, the better.

"Jules!" Mick yelled over the thinning crowd as the people headed into their classes. "Jules!"

Juliana spun around when Mick caught her wrist.

"Jules, what's wrong?" Mick looked concerned.

"For one second, can everyone forget this stupid fighting? You're leaving tomorrow, and you and Jerome still haven't made your peace. You keep fighting and bickering, and it's driving me insane. My two boys can't even give up their disagreements just for a day. A day, and then they wouldn't have to deal with each other anymore!"

Mick listened quietly, waiting for Jules to run out of steam and when she did, he just took her hand, and led her to class, getting to English a few minutes after the bell rang for the period to begin.

"Mr. Campbell and Ms. Claremont, care to explain yourselves?"

Mrs. Andrews was probably expecting the overslept excuse or something, but Juliana spoke up hoarsely, "No ma'am. I mean, there's nothing to explain. We were late, there are no excuses for this. We're sorry."

"Ms. Claremont, have you been crying?" Mrs. Andrews peered at Juliana over her glasses and Mick stepped in.

"She walked into…into the door this morning. She was crying, it hurt that much." Mick whispered so softly only the teacher could hear.

"Alright, you both will not receive detention this time. Take your seats, hurry up."

Juliana nodded and went to sit beside Jerome, who as looking at her fixatedly, and when Mrs. Andrews was called down to Sweetie's office for a few minutes, Jerome wordlessly took her into his arms, all the had to do was lean back onto him, and rest. The way he stroked her face made her forget why she had been crying earlier, but she was glad for the early morning affection.

At Mick's goodbye party, everyone was taking pictures and having fun, and Juliana who had been in all the pictures took the camera from Patricia and made her go to the pictures, and took a few, then made Jerome and Mick take one alone.

After she looked at how well it came out, she grinned and said loudly, "Well, now then it will look like you two were great friends!"

Everyone laughed then, but Trudy interrupted the fun by saying Mick's taxi was there.

Everyone was silent then.

"I'll help you bring your things Mick." Struggled Juliana. He was actually leaving now.

"Thanks Jules." At the car, after he hugged Patricia and the others goodbye, he turned to his cousin and said, "We'll see each other over holiday break alright Jules?" he wiped a stray tear from Juliana's cheek with a finger and she just nodded, her mouth tight and her eyes had blurry vision, but when he hugged her, she opened her mouth and grit her teeth as she hugged him back. "We better. Take care Mick."

"You too Jules." They separated, and he was going, going, gone. Too late for Mara who was sprinting across the grounds to say goodbye. But when she saw the car round the corner, it hit her she'd lost him, until Mick came up and smiling said he knew she wouldn't let him go without a goodbye. They kissed, and finally sad goodbye. Juliana made a tight smile. She was glad the pair had gotten together, she'd always liked them more together than Amber and Mick.

When Juliana went back inside, she was sipping on a soda when Fabian saw it. The mark. It was a flash, a momentary glance, but it was enough. He grabbed her arm and she set the cup back on the table quickly before following him out. They went down to the cellar, and he turned around and almost yelled at her.

"You didn't say anything? Annie, this is life and death. You, Nina, and me…we're in deep trouble."

"Well, we're all in this together. My guess is slowly Isis will touch all of Sibuna. But please, don't let Jerome know, don't let Isis touch him. I can't lose him again, and not like this. I have to protect him." She proceeded to tell Fabian about her dream in where Isis had touched her and she begged Fabian to keep it a secret. "Fabes, please."

"What?" Nina came downstairs and saw the rolled up sleeve on Juliana's arm and gasped.

"No, not you too!" Amber was there and gasped too, but she didn't have the mark herself yet.

They went into the secret room off the basement and Amber pulled a book when no one was looking and ended up blind.

"And this is why Jerome will not be put at risk." Juliana pointed out as they took care of Amber.

Juliana went back upstairs only to be ambushed by Jerome moments later, and she jumped in fright, then realized who it was, and asked what was up.

"Poppy and I are hiring a private investigator to find our dad."

"Jerome! That's great! Who?"

"Whoever is cheapest." Jerome shrugged.

"See Jerome, I told you that you cared about your sister." Said Juliana smugly.

"Oh shut up." Jerome laughed.

"That I can do." She shrugged, and she ambushed him herself with a deep kiss.

...

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