He shook his head and chuckled.
"All right I'll go. But don't think this gets you off the hook, buddy. We're not done talking about this. It's a damn miracle I remembered to say anything and now that I have I'm not going to let it rest until I'm satisfied."
He smiled at her and tilted his head down to take a bite along her jaw.
"So are you saying that you're not satisfied now?"
She laughed but reddened nonetheless as she swatted at his shoulder.
"You're incorrigible."
"Just get home quickly and I'll make sure you're satisfied."
She was sure she was blushing from her head to her toes. He seemed to be waiting for her to leave and when she didn't he frowned a little.
"What's the matter, Jenny?"
"I just can't leave. Not until I get at least a few answers." Seeing the frustrated look on Julian's face made Jenny feel bad, but her resolve didn't waver. She set her lips in a pout and proceeded to beg.
"Please? Pretty please?"
He leaned over and kissed the pout off of her lips with a groan of surrender.
"All right, all right. But I can't be held responsible for my behavior. What do you want to know?"
She didn't have to be asked twice and she didn't even need a moment to think about what she would ask first.
"Can I see you outside of my dreams?"
He rolled his eyes and positioned himself against the headboard. He reached over to grab some pillows to act as cushions.
"Do you really think that if I knew how to make myself appear outside of here that I wouldn't? Trust me, if I possessed the knowledge I wouldn't let you wake up alone ever again. We would never have to worry about bad timing because I'd be there every morning when you opened your eyes to finish whatever we started in our dreams."
Wasn't she supposed to be thinking that she was too young to be contemplating anything along the lines of forever? Wasn't the correct line of thinking supposed to suggest that she was too untested in life and all that jazz? None of that was occurring to Jenny. The picture he painted was one she longed for more and more with every day she spent with him.
When it became obvious that he intended to distract her with more kisses she stopped him with an outstretched arm. He merely raised his eyebrow and re-settled himself.
"So what do you think happened?" she asked in a shaky voice. Resisting Julian was difficult.
"Well I used to be able to visit you when you were asleep and we interacted in a way that was beyond dreams…it was real."
Jenny nodded, remembering all too well the episodes in question. She recalled waking up one morning with a silver rose on her pillow in testimony to the fact that they had been together the night before.
"I think I'm in a place like the More Games store. Somewhere between here and well, I don't know where."
"Why do you think you're trapped?"
"I suppose it's the ring."
She glanced down at her hand at the circlet of gold that constantly adorned her finger.
"What about it?"
"Well I have been giving this matter a lot of thought and I have come to the conclusion that it must have something to do with the binding ceremony."
Her eyes opened wide. For some reason she hadn't thought he was going to say that.
"I beg your pardon?"
Julian grinned at her choice of words but he kept going. Obviously once the floodgates were open he was as anxious to talk about it as she was.
"The way I see it here's what happened. When the Elders slashed the Runestave I escaped the Shadow Realm before they finished carving my name out. You put the ring back on before they got done and I became bound to you again but thanks to my Elders I happen to fulfill my part of the binding in the only place where I can."
Jenny narrowed her eyes and looked at Julian, her mind whirring. Something didn't seem right about the explanation but she couldn't think of what it was. Julian must have interpreted her look because he sighed and continued.
"The part that doesn't make sense is the ring. How could it do so much?"
He paused and seemed to be collecting his thoughts.
"And?"
"Well I may have…withheld information about it before."
Any suspicion she felt was allayed by his sheepish smile. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked over at her with his most innocent expression which she didn't buy for a second.
"Oh?"
"Well if I had told you before I think you would have been upset."
"Upset? About what?" Her suspicion had begun to creep back and she folded her arms across her chest and gave him a hard stare. He seemed to be debating telling her when he noticed the look and exhaled loudly.
"You know the binding ceremony was real."
She flushed guiltily for a moment and cast her glance away from him, recalling how she had tricked him. Not that he hadn't deserved it but still, she had felt bad then and felt a little worse now. When he didn't say anything else she moved her gaze back to him.
"Yes?"
"It was real, Jenny."
"Yeah, I got it. It was real. So what?"
He just continued to look at her until she felt like an idiot for not grasping what apparently was an obvious fact.
"Tell me, Julian. I'm obviously not getting it." She said with a smile.
"After the ceremony did you try to take the ring off?"
Again she found herself unable to meet his eyes. It was as damning as any verbal confession. But if he was upset by it he didn't give it away with his tone when he continued.
"What happened when you tried to take it off?"
She tilted her head back in surprise.
"Well, I couldn't get it off."
Then he smiled at her.
"That's because you didn't want to take it off."
"What?"
"The binding ceremony worked, Jenny. If it hadn't the ring would never have stayed on your finger at all."
"Come again?"
"In simple terms you had to mean it, Jenny. You couldn't fake it."
The implications of that statement hit her with a force that knocked the breath out of her.
That meant…but wait, was there a chance he was fooling with her? She peered at him and he held his hands up in a defensive gesture.
"I wouldn't lie about this, Jenny. You had to choose me freely and you did. The ring wouldn't come off because you thought of yourself as bound to me and the ring is the symbol of that bond. You were trying to take it off for the wrong reasons."
He moved so quickly she barely had time to react. As it was she was pinned underneath him before she knew what had happened. He punctuated each of his sentences with a kiss.
"You were trying to prove you didn't belong with me but your heart knew better. It only came off when you failed to believe in that bond with every part of you, including your heart."
"But the ceremony…"
"Yes? What about it?" he calmly waited for her questions, idly toying with a piece of her hair.
"You said it so quickly, so matter-of-factly."
He narrowed his eyes and looked at her in confusion.
"What did I say?"
"The oath. You said it so calmly, so…I don't know what I'm trying to say." She shook her head in frustration.
"Of course I did."
She blinked at him a few times.
"Jenny, I said it so evenly and clearly because I meant it. Why would I stumble over something I imagined saying a million times over? I had no doubts about pledging myself to you forever. I never have."
It was quite possibly one of the most beautiful things anyone had ever said to her.
Damn her tears! But somehow she felt these were more appropriate.
He reached over and wiped an errant tear away from her cheek with his thumb.
"I seem to be the cause of many tears of late." He murmured. "And what about you, hmm?"
Wiping away the other tear that had managed to escape from her eye Jenny gave him a tremulous grin.
"What about me?"
"I don't seem to recall you faltering over the words either."
She studiously avoided his gaze by twisting her head a little.
"Well…"
He reached over and cupped her face with his hand, turning her head back toward him.
"I was very proud of you, you know. It meant a lot to me that you didn't hesitate."
Some part of her felt that it was highly inappropriate to be so pleased with that statement. Thankfully, that element of her psyche was marginally small and was impatiently brushed aside by the rush of warmth his words created.
God help her but she was afraid she was falling irrevocably in love with Julian. With a shake of her head she tossed that thinking aside. With Julian's knack for reading her mind it was dangerous to dwell on thoughts of that nature for too long. She tossed him a coy smile before responding.
"I'm supposed to be leaving, yet you keep saying things to make me want to stay. So…" she reached out and cupped his face the same way he had done to her, "I need some motivation to leave. What can you do about that?"
He turned his face so he could press a kiss into her palm.
"All I can do is promise to make it worth your while if you hurry back."
The look he sent her made shivers run up her spine and her brain jar into alertness in an instant. Heat spread through her body as she relived it.
"Whoa. I gotta get home like now."
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Disclaimer: Nope. I do not own the characters. But hey, I appreciate you asking.
Author's Notes: This time the plugs are for Venus Smurf and Baloo. Read their stuff. I don't care if you're not into the genres they are, I really don't. Just read. They are wonderful. Then leave them glowing reviews. I insist.
Shadow—I really struggled with the description of what Julian was talking about. I knew exactly what I wanted to say but somehow the words eluded me. I'm still not satisfied with it and I'll try to do better and maybe revise it when I do. Thanks as always for checking in and letting me know what you think. Your praise keeps the words flowing.
ArchAngel pixxistixx4me—Hope the vacuuming went well and that the dustbunnies did not choose that particular time to stage a revolt. Sorry I left you in cliffhanger hell. Complaining, if done nicely and sprinkled liberally with that magic word we all love, can indeed get you things. See you in a bit for your next thank you!
Amber Evans Potter—Your review was so welcome! It was one of the most creative ones I have ever received and made me laugh….which caused some to wonder about my mental state, I'm sure. Thank you Amber, Julian and Jenny!
Beanie—I laughed when I read your review…it made me think of Forrest Gump "Run Forrest!" Maybe I could try updating two chapters at a time but I fear that any additional delays in posting that would cause would also cause a marked increase in the number of death threats I receive. You're so sweet to me and I appreciate you.
Rashel Jordan—Yes, Jenny running fast seems to be a theme within these reviews! Yeah, if I had Julian….well, I wouldn't be sitting here writing based on flights of fancy, they would be based on…well let's be realistic…I wouldn't be spending time writing. Thank you for caring enough to review I am grateful for it!
Vampyric Princess Spike—OMG, you are just too much! Don't you know that flattery like that will get you more chapters quicker and my undying gratitude? Keep reviewing it in a similar fashion and this story will get done before you know it!
CeredwenFlame—Just "almost desperately"? I will have to do better! I want you DYING to know what's going on! I'm so glad to hear about your stories and you know I will be there to post reviews when you're ready!
Forest Elfin—I cracked up thinking about the nurse walking in and so figured that I should really have her leave before something happens that would be hard to live down. You're so amazing to remember to review like you do…it fills me with warm and fluffy feelings.
Francesca—Hello Francesca! So what would you like instead of feelings? I can't improve if I don't know what you'd like instead, my dear! Thank you so much for writing! You are terrific!
Clare—Thank you for taking the time to seek out the story and again for reviewing it. Your reviews give me hope that I am pleasing you and that I may continue to live up to your expectations.
ArchAngel pixxistixx4me—Hello again! Chocolate covered raisins, eh? Your little teaser has me anxious to read "Easter." I hate to tell you but I made a deal with one of your esteemed fellow reviewers…she gets Julian and I get Orlando Bloom so you can't steal Julian from me. But I'm glad that you at least told me you cleaned your room; I wouldn't want Julian tied up under a dirty bed. Thanks for making me smile.
Skyfire—I saw a pic of her (Huntress Skyfire), she's pretty! Did you choose her b/c you look like her? Thanks for your in-depth review…I like that you think about what I write! I'm still a little iffy about Julian's explanation but oh well. I hope that it is not too disappointing. They will finally find each other but I can promise you at least a few more cliffhangers before then!
Venus Smurf—Stop with the praise, already! I'm already having trouble getting my turtlenecks on in the morning! So you would lead a posse of my fans, hmm? Crack me up! No, I didn't think you meant anything by the Tom and Dee thing at all. Sorry if I gave that impression. I'm pretty pleased with the rate I'm churning out chapters. It probably could be faster but I like to go back and re-read it once it's written and make revisions at least a few hours later, if not a whole day. I did toy with the idea of having Jenny dilly dally some more about wanting to be with Julian but really, who are we kidding? *I* know I want them to be together, *you* know it, so why prolong the torture? As for wondering about Julian's explanation…it didn't come out like I had envisioned it but I can tweak it forever and somehow I don't think I'll ever be happy with it. I don't deserve your flattery, that's for sure! But boy it sure made me feel so wonderful when I read it! Take care of yourself!
Kyia-Kenobi—When I went to your website I jumped, not expecting the music! I like the picture of you two in the StarFleet uniforms. So did your OMG mean that you liked the last two chapters or that I crossed the lines of decency? I think Julian will be too busy with Jenny to be concerned with giving Tom the time of day, let alone with beating him to a pulp! Thanks for writing and for giving me another place to surf!