This is the last chapter of this story! I'm working on the second story in the series as we speak! I hope that you enjoy it! Please read and review!
Lotta love Martana
Ps. Thanks to every one who reviewd and every one who read! Your support means a lot to me.
Chapter 6
Jesse and Brennan stood outside an apartment door, both hesitant to knock.
"You know it won't be any easier if we wait." Brennan said breaking the silence.
"I know, but I'm not really looking forward to this." Jesse answered. "If it hadn't been for my stupidity we wouldn't be here."
"Man, it's not you're fault. Eckhart would have done this if you'd told her no."
"But I am the one who drove her out on the road where she could be captured."
"Jess, don't do this now. we're going to have to deal with enough already."
"Ashleigh is not gonna take this well. Don't forget, we agreed we wouldn't tell him about me and Juls."
"Because we don't want him to be any more hurt than he has to be."
"Yeah." Jesse reached up and knocked on the door.
A moment later Ashleigh opened the door. "Guys, what are you doing here? I was gonna swing by Sanctuary this afternoon to see Juls."
"We need to talk, Ash. You mind if we come in?" Brennan asked.
"Yeah, come on in guys. I think I've got a couple of bottles of beer in the fridge. Food is gone till I can get to the store though." Ashleigh stepped aside and let the other men step into the small apartment. "Juls left the place a mess last time she was here, and I haven't had a chance to clean up yet."
"Ashleigh there's something you should know about Juls." Jesse said as they walked into the kitchen.
"She get angry bout me being gone for so long?"
"She's gone, Ash."
"She run away? Come on, she's done it before. She'll head to L.A. for a while and then be back."
"She didn't go to California, Ash." Brennan spoke up. "She's dead."
"What do you mean dead?" Ashleigh asked as he sat down in a chair.
"Eckhart used her as bait to capture us, and she was killed." Jesse explained as he forced back his tears.
"Ash, we're truly sorry about this. The girls have a memory service planned for tomorrow."
"This can't be true. I was coming to pick her up and whisk her away fro a week in the Caribbean. I was gonna purpose over dinner. God I have it al planned out."
Ashleigh felt the tears slide down his face, and a moment later found himself crying as Jesse brotherly embraced him.
"She would have loved it, Ash." Brennan whispered as his own tears began to fall.
"Juls was an amazing woman. She loved every one except GSA agents, and I think at times she even loved them." Shalimar tried to smile through her tears as she spoke. "My baby cousin had the amazing ability to with draw from the world and block things out. When she did that only two people could break through her walls, me and Jesse. Those two were best friends from the day they met. My favorite memory of them is the time they tried to hide their unfinished paper work and dropped it all into the meditation pond. Adam got so mad, and they spent a week cleaning up the mess." she felt a slight laugh slop in through her tears. A floodgate seemed to open and her tears began to flow stronger. Brennan puller her into his arms and held her tight trying to comfort her.
"She was a wild fire." Ashleigh said as he looked up from his seat on the sofa. "She was able to drive all of us crazy, though Jess had the most patience for her antics. They could always find a way to get into trouble and then our of it. She got grounded as much as I did when I was a teen, but she did it as an adult. One of the things I loved most was how free spirited she was. You couldn't tell her no to anything, well, I could tell her no when she wanted alcohol. The girl loved to drink no matter the kind of liquor you gave her. Fortunately it took her a while to get drunk."
"What I remember most about Juliet was her lack of cooking skills." Emma spoke up. "She had no talent for cooking and everything she fixed was burned or deemed inedible. She did manage to make a decent batch of cookies though. So good that it warranted pictures."
The room fell silent when Emma finished speaking. For the last two hours everyone had been sharing their favorite memories of the girl. Shalimar and Ashleigh had done most of the talking with Emma and Adam occasionally contributing. Both Jesse and brennan had remained silent through out the memory service.
Finally Brennan broke both the groups silence and his own. "I can remember when she moved in here. Shal was already close to her, and Emma was accepted pretty quickly. She was a bit nervous around men because of her past so Adam and I weren't well liked, but she instantly gravitated to Jesse. A week and a half after she moved in they started dating at her request. Those two months they did nothing but fight, kiss, eat, and watch TV. I was amazed how close they were after they stopped dating. Must have been a week or two after they agreed to just be friends that I went to Jesse's room one morning to ask him something about the computers, and there they were, both sound asleep, her head laid on his chest and him holding her with an arm wrapped around that small figure and his hand tangled in those copper locks. She'd had a night mare and gone straight to him for comfort, first night of many that they spent together like that, and we all knew they could have that kind of relationship even if they couldn't be lovers."
"Always made me a bit jealous that she felt so safe with Jess." Ashleigh said as he played with a locket Juliet had once worn. "When she gave me this locket and told me that it held locks of hair belonging to me, her, and Jess, all woven into a braid I didn't understand. Then she explained that it didn't matter that I was her boy friend and Jess was her best friend, we all three were a part of something that couldn't be broken. That was when I started to realize that she'd have forced me to like Jesse if I'd had any problems with him. Then I asked her if I was supposed to wear the necklace and she laughed. Then she told me she'd wear it when the three of us were out together. Once I realized why she wore it I realized I was gonna marry her family, not just her."
"Her kiss." Jesse said quietly. "I remember her kiss. On our first date she kissed me and when I didn't kiss her back she asked me if I felt like I was kissing my sister. After that one question was in the past w shared more kisses than I can count. My regret is that I didn't kiss her again before she died." Jesse finished speaking and then left the room.
Ashleigh and Shalimar both moved to follow him, but were stopped by Emma. "Let him go. He needs some time alone."
The two nodded and sat back down.
"Juliet was a poetry lover, something she learned from Brennan." adam said as he pulled out a piece of paper. "Her favorite was Lord Byron's She Walks in Beauty. I think she'd have liked it to be read so I will.
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less.
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
Juliet's Room
Jesse laid out on Juliet's bed crying. Hearing Bren tell his story had made him ache with the desire to hold the girl close in his arms again.
The delicate smell of her perfume still hung in the air, and as he laid his head on her pillow he could still smell her. With his eyes closed he could almost hear the sound of her laughing. Soon memories began to spill out and play in his mind.
Flashback
'A delicate girl clad in harsh black leather trying in vain to turn herself into a biker chick. Finally giving up she pulls off the black boots and puts on a pair of black thigh high fishnets and red stilettos. The leather top is exchanged for a white halter that reveals plenty of cleavage and dark red lipstick is applied.
"There I'm a hooker." she laughs as she walks over to the man lying on her bed.
"Though you wanted to be a biker chick." Jesse answers as he sits up. He is clad as a cowboy in tight jeans, a short sleeved navy blue button down shirt, and the trade mark cowboy hat is in his hand.
Juliet takes the hat and puts it on his head positioning to her specifications. "I'm not biker chick material."
"But you're hooker material?" He asks gently.
"Lets not fight again Jesse. We've been dating for three weeks and that is all we seem to do." she answers and leans against him as she brings her hands to his face.
He leans down and slowly meets her lips in a soft hiss.
"You look beautiful." He whispers when she pulls away.
"Jess, maybe, when we get home from the party tonight, you and I can.." she is interrupted as she notes the look of reprove on his face.
"Don't even suggest it. You're not ready for that."
"I love you." she confesses as she lays her head against his chest.
"I love you too, Juliet."
They slowly kiss again, her small hand slipping up to gently play with his hair.
Bright violet eyes dance in candle light and the copper locks are pulled back in a tight French bun.
"Jess, I'm glad we decided to just be friends." Juliet says.
"Works much better for us." Jesse agrees as he reaches across the table and takes her small hand in his.
"I still love you, I mean as more than a friend." Juliet whispers and blushes.
"I know what you mean. I feel the same way."
"I guess we just have to figure this out."
"We can do it, Juls. We've done a lot of things already."
"So why are we eating here tonight?"
"I just wanted to spend some time with you. That ok babe?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"Just eat, Juls, just eat. When we get home tonight we'll watch a movie."
"I get to choose?"
"You get to choose."
"Jess. Jesse!" Juliet calls as she stands beside his bed. Jesse slowly wakes up and sees her.
"Your night mares again?" he asks.
"Yes, can I sleep with you?"
Jesse pulls the covers back and smiles. "Come on."
Juliet climbs into the bed and snuggles close to him as she lays her head on his chest. Jesse gently wraps an arm around her waist and holds her close against him.
"Thank you, Jesse." Juliet whispers as she wraps her arms around him and closes her eyes.
"You know I'm here for you. Go on to sleep and I'll take care of you."
"Why else did I come here?"
"Good point. I may have to buy a baby monitor so I can hear you sleeping, that way I can be in there before things get too bad."
"I'd like that. Love you, Jess."
"Love you too, Juls."
Juliet drifts off to sleep as Jesse holds her.
End Flashbacks
Jesse opened his eyes and sat up. The room was empty with the exception of a few things. Ashleigh and the others had each taken a couple of things to remember Juliet by. Jesse had decided to wait on choosing and item to remember his copper-haired angel by, but now knew what he wanted.
He got up and walked overt to her desk, and opened a drawer. Reaching inside he pulled out a simple photo album. Inside were pictures of him and Juliet together, nothing else. He laid the book on her desk and then closed the drawer. When he turned to open the book he noticed a letter and the necklace he'd given Juliet for Christmas on the desk.
Noticing his name across the front he opened and read it.
Jesse,
For the last three years you have been my best friend, and that is one of the things I love most about you. You've been there for me through thick and through thin. Right now we're in a tough spot, and I really don't know how we're going to get past what is going on between us.
In away I was honest. I do love you. You are my brother, my best friend, and most of all my soul mate. All those relationships are full of love. What happened was not from a love in any of those relationships. We were very stupid to have sex with each other. You may be all that I love, but you are also all that I can't have in that way.
What we have is very special, and I don't want to loose that, but I know that if I stay we will loose it. That is why I have to go and become someone else for a while.
I'm going to L.A., of course. I figure that now is the perfect time for me to pursue my acting career. You wont be there to stop me from taking off my clothes. Remember me when I make it big, and if you want to contact me I ill make sure you get in to see me.
This is not what I have in mind when I seduced you. All I wanted at the time was to marry Ashleigh and it felt like that would never happen. I really do understand if you hate me because of all of the things I said.
I'm not going to try to make contact with you. The choice of if and when we reunite is entirely yours. I don't want to force you into anything.
Jesse, I want to be clear on one thing. You will one day find a woman who loves you enough to marry you. In some ways I wish I could be that woman, but I know that you and I are not right for each other, and I am also meant for Ashleigh, who I know loves me, but I also wonder some times about him.
So, I'm off to California, far away from all these problems. I love you more than you will ever know. Even if you choose not to forgive me, at least remember me. Like our song from the Creek. You remember the one that was played hen Jen was in the hospital dying. It doesn't matter. I'll give you the words at the end of the letter. So dream, love, have faith, and please take care of Shalimar for me. She'll need you so much while I'm gone.
I love you so much Jesse,
Juliet.
After he finished reading the letter he slipped it back into the envelope and took both it and the photo album into his bed room where eh laid them on his dresser. For the first time in a long time he went to bed alone, not sure of when he'd have a woman to protect as he had Juliet.
The End.
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