Chapter Eight
Nick/Julia
Nick drew back from the Julia he was still holding. "What the hell…?" he asked, unable to fully express his feelings. He swung the sword he carried with him from their previous test and said, "Stay away from me. Both of you."
Nick turned a way from the two women. How the hell, can he find out which one is his Julia? The two look exactly the same. He felt frustrated and moved away, sitting down away from them.
The two women left him alone for a while. Neither of them wanted to risk feeling his anger.
It was almost 2 hours later when Nick finally made up his mind. He turned to the two and asked them to come and join him. His face had no expression on them.
The two women sat on the ground across from him, and with in a safe distance form each other.
"Nick," said one of them, "How can you not tell that I'm Julia and not her?" she asked pointing towards the other woman.
"That is such a lie," said the other Julia. "I'm Julia, the real one, and soon Nick will realize that and you'll be toast."
Nick's face frowned. "Shut up, both of you. I'll do the talking for now."
Nick got up and started pacing, then turned around and asked one of them "Tell me something only Julia would know. Something I never told another living soul."
The woman he talked to opened her mouth to speak, but then she hesitated. "Are you sure? I don't want to drag out old issues…"
"Just tell me what you know," said Nick cutting her abruptly.
"I know that your father abused you when you were a little boy. I will never forget the day you told me that. I was surprised you trusted me with that, but I was also proud of being you friend and confidant."
"Yes, I remember the day you told me that, how could you have known about it?" said the other Julia.
Nick looked confused. How can both know that? He only ever told Julia and then eventually to Derek.
"Go on," he asked the other woman.
"It was during that time we investigated Derek's friend whom the police thought was abusive to his son. You saw the boy for the 1st time and that evening you broke and told me all that has happened to you. I loved you then more then ever before."
"Damn," cursed Nick. It's true, that's how it happened. What the hell is he gonna do now? How will he ever be able to decide which one is telling the truth and which one is lying?
He turned away again.
After a while he returned to them. He pulled up one of the ladies and planted a harsh kiss on her lips. She responded him, and held her arms around him. Then suddenly he pushed her away moving to the other one. "Get up," he asked.
She looked at him and said, "Damn you Boyle. Who the hell do you think you are bossing me around like that?"
Nick pulled her up, grabbed her hands and kissed her as well. When he finally had to stop for air, he was confused and totally enraged. The kisses did not help him figure out which is his Julia.
"Ok," he said, "let's do it the other way around. Tell me things about you, only I know," he asked the one he was still holding. He let her go and she stepped a few steps back.
"I was in love with someone before you," she said. "I was going to marry him, but he died. He was murdered. We kept our relationship hidden. You were the only one I ever told."
Nick, reflecting on that moment, was startled when the other Julia suddenly jumped in and said, "You bitch. How the hell do you know so much about me and all I told Nick in private? No one but Nick knows these things."
The one who spoke raised her hand and struck the other Julia. "How dare you?" she asked. "Nick is mine. You will never steal him from me. Never again."
Nick looked at the Julia who was struck and fell to the floor. He reached out his hand to her and helped her up. She was bleeding. Quietly with out saying a word he tore a piece of his shirt and wiped the wound. "Thank you Nicky," she whispered, then without a warning, she jumped at the other woman and struck her back.
Nick looked at the other woman. There was no blood. Actually she didn't even move a muscle when Julia tried to strike her down.
"You bitch," she screamed trying to get back at Julia. Nick got in the middle breaking apart the fight. When he thought the women had calmed down, he turned and headed back to where he left his sword. He thought he finally knows which one is his Julia.
"What about Abi?" he suddenly asked.
"Abi is a big girl," said the 1st one. "She is the one who told me about this thing. She knew that there is nothing more we both wanted then being together. When she found out about Com and Taylor, she called for me and said she was no longer in need of two gourdian angels. She has Ben and her children and they will save her from all and from herself. I wouldn't have known about this test if it weren't for Abi."
Nick turned to the other one, "Well, Don't you have anything to say about Abi?" he asked.
The woman looked confused. She had no idea who Abi was. She knew everything about the life and death of Julia walker but not what happened after her death.
She suddenly screamed in frustration and then shouted, "If I can't have him, no one will," and ran towards him holding a knife in her hand.
"Nick, look out," screamed Julia trying to stop her. She ran in front of her trying to block her from getting to Nick.
To his horror Nick saw Julia falling to the ground, blood dripping on the floor from her wound before she hit the ground.
The woman's face changed, and then Nick saw the Succubus Karen. She was now running toward him again. Nick swung up his sword and before she could reach him he struck her down. Her head was now detached from her body.
Nick dropped the sword and ran over to Julia.
"I'm fine," she said looking into his eyes. "It's just a scratch."
Nick checked her wound. It was a little more then just a scratch, but it hit her shoulder, and it seemed nothing vital was hit. He tore out another piece from his shirt and bandaged Julia's wound. "God," he said, "Will this be over any time soon?"
"You are my Julia?" he suddenly asked just to be sure.
"Yes I am Nicky," she said smiling. "I love you Boyle," she then whispered.
"I love you too Jules."
Suddenly, Julia and Nick heard a loud noise. The door they came in from opened with a screech. He helped Julia up and they headed out of the room. To their surprise, they did not end up in the hall again. Instead they were in a lighted hall facing a few undetermined figures.
"Congratulations," they heard the figures say. You have succeeded in your tests and have proven you deserve a chance of life again as Julia walker."
Julia felt a shiver of excitement and anticipation going through her body.
"Drink this," said the figure and handed her a glass full of red liquid.
Julia took the glass off his hands, then looking at Nick she swallowed the content of the glass.
San Diego house
Derek was pacing in the control room.
"Derek," said Taylor, "They will be all right."
"It's been ten days since they entered that stupid thing. You were back after only five days. Why is it taking them so long?" he wondered.
"I don't know. Maybe they have more tests to pass. Or maybe it's taking them longer to get through each test. Time is different in there. We thought we were gone a day at the most, you said it was five days. They'll be back. I'm sure of it," said Taylor.
Suddenly they heard Tyree calling them. The security guy heard a noise coming from with in the vault. He called everyone down and then entered the vault, his gun drawn.
Nick and Julia stumbled out from the invisible wall, and into the room. A second later the wall disappeared. Derek rushed over to them.
"God Nick, what took you guys so long?" he asked.
"Long? How long have we been gone?" asked Nick.
"Ten days."
Nick and Julia were confused and looked at each other. "We were in there ten days? It only felt like a day. Two at the most," said Nick. "But that's not important now. Julia is hurt and need some stitches I think."
Derek looked at Julia and swallowed hard. He never thought he'd see her alive again. He moved over to her and stood there, not sure what to say.
"Hi Derek," she said.
"Hi Julia," he answered.
Julia smiled and then wrapped her arms around him. She put her head on his chest and asked, "Can I come home?"
Derek hugged her for a minute blocking the tears he felt rising in his eyes then said, "Yes, of course you can come home. It is great to have you back." He then let go of her and they called a doctor to attend to her wound.
A few stitches later and a hot bath, and Both Julia and Nick came down looking and feeling good.
"I'm starved," said Julia.
"Me too," said Nick.
The whole members of the house headed for the dining room, where dinner was being served.
After dinner Derek called the San Francisco house.
"Luna foundation, Alex speaking," he heard Alex answer.
"Hi Alex," he said.
"Derek? Oh please tell me that they are back," she begged.
"They are back, safe and sound," he replied.
"Julia too?" asked Alex.
"Yes Alex. Julia too. We will be coming home tomorrow. Is everything ok over there?"
"Yes. All is fine here. No new cases for the time being."
"Ok. Then we will see you tomorrow," said Derek and hung up the phone.
San Francisco house
Alex heard Derek hanging up and put the receiver back in its place. She felt the tears she held back for so long rising and couldn't fight them anymore. She allowed them to run free.
Phillip came into the control room and found her crying. "God, Alex, what's wrong?" he asked.
Alex was about to say something, when Kristin came in as well. "I heard the phone, was it Derek with news? She asked not seeing Alex's crying face, since Phillip was in her way. She came around and then saw Alex.
"Alex, what's wrong? Oh no they didn't make it. Neither of them?" she asked.
"Actually, they did," said Alex.
Kristin looked at her and then realized the reason for Alex's crying. "You love him a lot, don't you? I'm sorry Alex, but I'm sure you will find someone who will love you and you will love him as much as you love Nick. Probably even more," she said trying to get Alex to stop crying.
"I'll be fine," said Alex eventually. "I only need some time alone. If you guys excuse me," she said leaving the room.
Phillip and Kristin looked at each other. Things have been full of tension between them lately. Suddenly they were unable to talk as they did before. Kristin looked at him and then left the room as well. She decided to leave Alex alone for a while before she tries to talk to her again.
Phillip remained alone in the control room. There was nothing he could do or say to lift Alex's spirit at the present moment, and it seems he can't talk to Kristin as well. One thing cheered him though. Julia has returned. She was a good friend of his and he had so many questions to ask her about the after life.