Author's Note: I would like to give a special thank you to Ribeiro1896 for the suggestion and advice.

General notes: If you are watching this show on CBC Gem, this story picks up around the 35 minute mark and diverges from there.

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Rabies coursed through Julia's veins. She squirmed in the chair she was bound to, moaning in fear. She just had to hold out a little longer, and Pendrick would give her the injection she needed.

"So, progress?" Clegg drawled as he came back into the room.

One of his soldiers thrust his gun into Pendrick's chest and took the syringe before he could hide it.

"Excellent," Clegg said, and turned his gaze on Julia.

"I've heard that people with rabies have a fear of water." Clegg poured a glass of water, and threw it in her face.

Julia shrieked as if she'd been scalded.

"You bastard!" William yelled at him, struggling to dry Julia's face with his palm. He seethed with anger, but he wouldn't let go of Julia, not even to attack Clegg.

Clegg snickered at the sight of their torment.

"Give her the cure," Murdoch demanded. "You won't know if it works if you don't."

"Oh, I have every confidence that it works. After all, Mr. Pendrick here survived." He clapped Pendrick on the shoulder. "Surely you didn't really think we weren't watching."

"Why, then? What could you possibly gain by infecting Julia?" Murdoch asked.

"Call it a parting gift," Clegg sneered. With that, he and his henchmen walked out the door, taking the only vial of the cure with them.

"Murdoch, help me." Pendrick called as he rushed to his desk. "The only way we're going to save her now is it produce more cure."

Murdoch looked at Julia, and reluctantly left her side to assist Pendrick.

Meyers put a hand on each of Julia's shoulders and pressed her into her seat. His brow furrowed with worry as her legs kicked the air.

"Please hurry," Murdoch begged as he handed Pendrick supplies.

"I am hurrying, I promise you I have no desire to watch anyone else die." Pendrick answered tautly. "That vial next."

Murdoch glanced over at Julia, praying he wouldn't have to witness her death. As he watched, her teeth champed her lips bloody, turning the foam in her mouth from white to red. The chair rocked back and forth as she thrashed, despite Meyers straining to hold her down. She threw her head back, and then lunged to one side. Meyers snatched his hand back just in time, and her teeth closed around his sleeve instead, shredding the material. Julia tossed about in her chair wildly the second Meyer's released pressure on her shoulders. She overbalanced and the chair toppled, sending her to the floor in a heap, chair on top of her.

"Julia!" Murdoch ran to her side. "Help me get this off her," He pleaded to Meyers as he struggled to lift chair and woman both.

Julia screamed and tried to leap on him. Pendrick grabbed Murdoch by the arm and hauled him back.

"Oh God," William moaned. "Julia, please, it's me. Please, I just want to help you." He went to move toward her again, but Pendrick dragged him back once more.

"Don't touch her, Murdoch." Pendrick warned. "She'll kill you; she can't help herself at this point."

"No..." Murdoch's voice came out as a thin wail.

Meyers went to the door. "Allen!" He shouted. "Allen, dammit man, come back and save her." His shouts went ignored.

"I've got it ready now." Pendrick loaded up a fresh syringe.

Clegg reappeared in the doorway. "Well, look at that. You can work quickly after all. I'll be expecting this level of progress from now on, Mr. Pendrick." He fairly beamed as he strutted into the room.

"No," Pendrick stood firm, needle clenched in his fist. "I won't work for you. You've caused enough harm in this world."

"Don't be naïve," Clegg told him. "Even if you patented this little project, someone would have always found a way to turn it into a weapon. At least this way, it's being used for the good of my country. You are more than welcome to have a fine life in America. Just think on that."

"Let me give this to Doctor Ogden. That's all I want now." Pendrick insisted.

"I'm afraid not," Clegg said. "I'll be needing that."

He extended his hand as if he expected to be offered the syringe. When Pendrick didn't budge, Clegg grabbed his wrist and twisted violently. Pendrick gasped in pain and tried to wriggle free. The syringe dropped out of his suddenly slack grip, and Clegg caught it before Pendrick could stop him.

Murdoch charged at Clegg, grabbing desperately for the cure that could save the life of his beloved. Clegg spun to face him, and drove his fist into Murdoch's stomach. Murdoch doubled over, staggering from the blow and the loss of his own momentum. The next punch landed on his jaw, and the next his temple. Murdoch collapsed to the floor. Meyers went to help Murdoch up, but he didn't dare get close enough to Clegg to invite the man's fists on himself.

"You would deny a woman survival, not once, but twice? You're worse than an animal." Pendrick spat.

Clegg shrugged, unbothered by his insult. "I'm simply thorough. I needed to know how quickly you can work. Next, I need to know how effectively someone with the disease can be restrained. I can't offer my targets a cure if they escape on me, can I? That's where you all come in. I'm sure you're highly motivated."

"Can't you at least help us make her comfortable?" Pendrick asked.

"Three healthy men against one woman? I'm sure you can manage." Clegg tossed over his shoulder as he turned to leave.

Murdoch looked over to Julia, left without aid once again. Tears welled in his eyes as she bashed her own body against the floor. He couldn't live with himself if she died like this, not when it meant that he failed her. He'd rather die with her then let her suffer alone.

"God forgive me," Murdoch thought as he crawled across the floor. He put his arm around Julia's shoulders and buried his face in her hair. She lifted her head and gazed into his eyes for a moment. She leaned toward him, lips puckered. Then she opened her mouth, and sank her teeth into his face.

"Julia!" Murdoch cried.

"William?" Julia shook him hard. "Wake up, William!"

Murdoch jolted awake in bed and looked around. Julia leaned over him, her tangled hair spilling over her shoulder and onto his own face.

"What's wrong?" Julia asked. "You never have nightmares."

Murdoch grabbed hold of her and pulled her against his chest. "It's nothing. I hardly remember the dream now." He lied, unwilling to concern her.

"You're shaking," Julia said. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I will be," Murdoch assured her. "I just need you to hold me, is all."

Julia positioned herself on top of him, using her whole body to wrap him in an embrace. "If that's what you need, then I promise I will never let you go."

Murdoch clung to her, and breathed in her scent. To him, she was everything good and wholesome. So long as she was in his life nothing could hurt him for long. The rhythm of her breathing and the beat of her heart slowly soothed him back to sleep. When he woke in the morning, he truly had forgotten his dream, but he remembered how Julia loved and comforted him.

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Author's Note: I know "it was all just a dream" is a cliché, but I couldn't bring myself to kill Julia for real.