(Small copy of L.J. Smith at the very first here… yes, it's intentional!)

Part 2

Jenny glanced back over her shoulder. They were still behind her, on the other side of the street but definitely following. They matched their pace to hers; when she slowed to pretend to look in a store window, they slowed, too.

Something about this whole scenario gave her such a sense of de-ja-vu that she wanted to stop and ask the boys if she had ever seen them before; she knew that that was insane. Two tough guys had never followed her before… she had never had to sneak around the bad part of town just to get a game before. She could only blame this on the awful week that she had had. Still, she had to admit, she was rather scared.

She veered off into Eastman, hugging the wall and listening to the thudding of her heart and her breath coming in sharp gasps. She looked around in front of her, there was nothing but a blank wall.

But there should be a store around here somewhere, or a picture… on the wall! She wanted to scream as her breath quickened; she could hear the tough guys advance. She couldn't believe this… this was really happening, something awful was going to happen. Nothing awful had happened to her in her whole life, and suddenly this?

And why did it all seem so familiar!

Her self-pitying thoughts were interrupted by one of the two tough guys voices. "Hey there pretty pretty, why you runnin'? Don't ya wanna play?" They were standing right in front of her!

"Oh no," It escaped her lips in a half groan. She straightened slightly, and took a cajoling tone to her voice. "Please," Her voice broke and began to shake… "Just leave me alone."

The boy with the bad skin gave a gruff laugh. "Now why would we wanna do that?"

"I-I…" She was so scared. She wished that Tommy were here; Tommy or Dee would take care of this problem.

"Come on now sweetheart, we ain't gonna hurt ya! Lets have some fun." He began to advance towards her, his eyes flashing darkly, sweat gathering at the base of his bandana.

"No, please!" She cried out as he pressed himself against her, his hot breath washing over her face.

"Now now sweetheart, you can't say that you don't like this." His lips slid across her neck, warm and wet, making her sick to her stomach. This couldn't be happening… it couldn't. The other boy pinned her arms up over her head, and she knew that it was.

When the other boy began to fumble with her shirt, two hot tears slid down her cheeks and she closed her eyes, turning her head away and shutting her eyes tightly. She wouldn't look… this wasn't happening. She waited for the inevitable. She waited.

And waited.

It never came.

Were they just playing a game with her? She opened her eyes a sliver see what was going on, and saw one of the most amazing things she had ever seen in her life.

He stood there like a knight defending her honor, his hands twined in the flannel shirt. His posture radiated pure menace and anger, and his white hair showed like silver in the dim light.

The sinewy muscles in his arms rippled as he gave the boy a violent shake, pulling him away from Jenny. Her arms fell limply to her sides as she looked at him.

The boy in the bandana realized exactly what was going on at about the same moment that Jenny did. He grabbed Jenny's limp arms and began to run, dragging her along behind him. She heard a sickening 'pop' and a wave of nausea washed over her as her ankle twisted violently.

The boy heard it to.

"Get off of her!" His voice shattered through her senses, agonizingly musical and angry at the same time. She suddenly saw his eyes. They shone in the dimness like flinty steel, at the moment fixated on the boy who was still lightly gripping her wrist. They were the most amazing… indescribable color that she had ever seen.

He threw the boy in flannels without a second thought, and Jenny watched him smack roughly against the wall. The blue eyed boy rounded on the one holding Jenny, fury written clearly across his face.

Apparently the boy with the bandana saw it as well. "Hey, m-man what's the problem?" A fine tremor was now running along the blue eyed ones body. That tremor was echoed in the bandanaed boys words.

As quick as a snake striking, the blue eyed boys hands flashed out, and Bandana released Jenny and tried to run. He was thrown beside his companion, just as roughly. They looked at one another, there eyes flashing from the boy to Jenny.

Those blue eyes suddenly flickered to Jenny, and the raging look disappeared. Concern crossed his features, and he held out a hand to her. "Are you okay?" His voice was so elemental… like water running over rocks.

She could have sworn that she knew him from somewhere.

As if in a trance, she held her hand out to him, and answered dreamily. "I am now." Smooth, cool fingers slid around hers, and he pulled her to her feet. With a flash of searing pain, her ankle gave out beneath her.

Before she could fall, he caught her. With one liquid movement, he picked her up, holding her like you would a small child. She suddenly felt small. She smiled shyly up at him. "Thank you."

He smiled down at her, his eyes filling with some emotion that she could not discern.

"I'm Jenny." She finally said, unable to think of anything else to say with those infiltrating eyes peering down at her.

A small flicker of a smile appeared at one corner of his mouth, as if her introduction humored hum. Still, he also introduced himself. "I'm Julian." Julian…

He smiled down at her once more. "How care is your house, I'll take you home?" He, of course, knew exactly how far her house was, but disclosing that particular bit of information wouldn't do a very good job for him, now would it?

Jenny smiled up at him and quickly gave directions. After he started walking, she simply snuggled into his chest, absorbing the warmth that emanated from him. She listened to the thud of his heartbeat, lulling herself to a state of almost slumber.

Julian started off towards her house, in a slight daze. He was holding her in his arms and she was letting him. She was snuggling against his chest, and she wasn't afraid. He loved his, her voluntarily in his arms, her breath playing lightly against his neck. He looked down at her, and her green eyes flashed up to meet his, thankfulness and a small smile in them.

He loved being able to hold her in his arms, he loved her turning that smile to him. He would live in the shadows for an eternity… just for this one day.

Jenny saw Dee and the others running towards her, concern flickering in their eyes as Julian trudged onto her lawn.

"What happened?" Dee said, her voice lilted with concern, her eyes taking in Jenny's swollen ankle and Julian's arms holding her protectively.

"Who is he?" Tommy asked, jealousy snarling across his handsome face.

Of course, Audrey asked the exact same question… her tone was just a tad different. Different enough that Michael shouted out a loud protest of, "Hey!"

More questions were thrown in her direction, and Jenny was pulled sharply out of her half dazed state. "Guys!" She had to shout it before they all stopped. "Could we go inside, and then I'll tell you all about it. Please? I'm sure that Julian is just a little tired of holding me by now."

Oh Jenny, I could never tire of it.

But he trudged inside of her house… he was invited into Jenny's house… it was another experience that he had never thought would happen. Once inside, he deposited Jenny onto the couch, and sat down beside her. She smiled sweetly at him, then turned as Tom sat down on her other side, jealousy still clear in his eyes.

Any possible way that I could kill him this round? Save me a lot of trouble… Of course he knew he couldn't… but it didn't stop him from envisioning every gruesome thing that he could do while Jenny waited for everyone to settle down.

"Now then," Dee said, her black eyes flashing, "spill."

Jenny gave Julian a nervous look, chewing on her lower lip (that small action made Julian want to whisk her away), but he gave her a reassuring smile, urging her to continue with his glance.

She told the whole story.

Silence filtered through the room afterward, only broken by everyone's harsh breathing.

"Oh my GOD!" Dee yelled loudly, rage in her voice. "If I had been there…" She got up, performing a fluid kick-punch motion, a look of grim satisfaction on her voice.

"That must have been awful Jen!" Audrey cried after Dee's little show.

"Thank goodness that Julian was there!" Summer added squeakily.

"Oh yes, thank goodness." Somehow, Julian detected a bit of sarcasm in Tommyboy's voice. I am going to kill him. He thought it again, grimacing as Jenny gave Tommyboy's hand a tight squeeze.

Julian wasn't going to let him get in his way this