All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.
This story follows right after When I'm Gone: Third Installment to GONE Saga, so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.
The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12th and will progress from there.
AN: Here's a new chapter! It's an all Julie-Lian chapter, enjoy it much! I should be updating again this weekend due to the fact that next weekend is packed with things to do so I won't have the time to update.
Gaby -kudos to you for the idea! You're an awesome idea-Beta! Love you!
Ses -Miss you much.
Inosolan -I am sorry you don't like Seth -I blame myself for that...but you love Julie and Lian so I expect a looong review for this chapter!
As usual, enjoy as you read and please review! As for me -I'm heading off to the gym!
Chapter Thirty-Two
December 28th
New York City
Bounding up the last flight of stairs, he took the keys out of the pocket of his leather jacket, easily finding the one to Julie's front door.
His eyebrows lowered at the faint music coming from inside the apartment, unlocking and opening the door to find his girlfriend jumping on a floor trampoline while listening to Lady Gaga.
"What the crap are you listening too?"
She looked over at him as he kicked off his shoes, the door closing behind him as he placed a dozen irises tied together with twine on the hallway table, "She's my guilty pleasure."
"Yeah, I can understand why listening to her would make you feel guilty," he moved across the polished wood floors, laughing as she turned a full three sixty in the air before coming down on the trampoline, "Do you also have Katy Perry and Pink in your song list?"
Julie nodded, out of breath as she jumped high, tucking her knees up before landing again, "As well as Kei$ha and Rihanna –jump with me!"
Lian laughed, taking her offered hand as he climbed up onto the small trampoline, several minutes of jumping passing before he asked, already out of breath, "Why are you doing this?"
"Exercise…it helps get rid of excess energy," Julie laughed, letting out a surprised scream as Lian landed on the edge of the trampoline and tumbled onto the floor, pulling her along to land on him, "Are you okay?"
Lian let out a groan, Julie pushing off his chest as he gave her a grin, "Just got the air knocked out of me."
Julie smiled down at him, her eyes widening as he groaned when he tried to move, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah," Lian reached up to touch a finger to her bottom lip, "You know, I've got a better idea on how to get rid of your excess energy."
Julie laughed, her full lips spread into a grin, wisps of hair clinging to her sweaty neck as her long ponytail hung down her shoulder, "And what will that be?"
Lian waggled his eyebrows, moving to get up, letting out a groan as he laid back on the floor, "Okay, you might have to do all the work…just pull my pants down and climb on up."
Julie's surprised laugh as she slapped his chest made him laugh, his arms wrapping around her as he rolled over until she was under him, his brown eyes studying her face as their chuckles slowly faded.
Seconds passed into minutes, Julie smiling up at him as he kept staring at her, "What?"
He didn't think, simply whispered as he touched his mouth to hers, "I want to ruin you…make it impossible for you to ever think of being with anyone but me."
Julie let out a soft sigh, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck, his hands moving down the sides of her body, "I think you already have."
Lian grinned, kissing the corner of her mouth before placing a string of kisses down her throat, whispering hotly in her ear, "Why don't we make sure of that?"
2:13AM
He watched her sleep, his arms wrapped around her with a muscled thigh nestled between her long, slim legs, the comforter covering them as the moon peaked through the curtains.
Kissing her shoulder, he reached up to tuck a hank of hair behind her ear, moving a finger over her brow and down her nose –she was so damn beautiful.
He never thought he would find himself here again –so hopelessly in love with a woman that had the power to tear him apart.
Except this time around, it wasn't just his heart he'd invested –he knew it would be more than devastating to have her leave him…the very thought made his insides clench viciously enough to make him feel sick.
Kissing her jaw, he whispered into her ear, his heart beating hard against her shoulder blade, "I love you…I love you so damn much it literally hurts. It kills me to think of you leaving me…I die a thousand deaths every day that passes by without knowing if you feel the same way."
He pressed his hand against the left side of her chest, feeling the steady thump-thump of her heart as he laid his cheek against hers, "Does this belong to me? Your heart, your soul –are they mine as much as your body is? I wish I were brave enough to ask you face to face…to look into your eyes as you tell me how you really feel –but just thinking you might not love me…"
Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against her shoulder, his arms wrapping around her as he listened to her even breathing, fighting back the doubt that swamped him during the silent nights when it was just him with his love while she slept the night away.
A soft breath escaped her, his heart jumping into his throat as he heard her softly whisper, "I do love you, Julian."
He held his breath, his heart sinking as the seconds melted into minutes, wondering if having her say it in her sleep meant, subconsciously, she knew she loved him but had yet to make that conscious realization.
He felt her stir within the circle of his arms, turning until she faced him, her hands moving up his bare chest to frame his face, eyes bright despite the darkness as she looked at him, her words soft against his mouth, "Let me show you how much."
She pushed him onto his back, her hands silk moving over his chest, her mouth wet against his skin as she slowly explored his neck, moving down as she plotted a trail of open mouthed kisses, his stomach muscles tightening as he realized where she was heading.
Her hands left behind trails of fire wherever she touched, her mouth pushing him into a higher plane of desire as he clenched his teeth but a groan still made itself heard as she took him into her mouth, her tongue rubbing him just the right way.
He let out another groan, his hands burrowing into her hair as she hollowed her cheeks, just about ready to come into her mouth when she pulled back, shaking his hands out of her hair before straddling him.
His hands dropped to grip her hips as he kept heavy lidded eyes on her face, her pussy hot and tight around him as she sheathed him completely.
Sliding her hands up his stomach to his chest, she laid on him, her breasts pressed against his chest as she framed his face, kissing his bottom lip, never once breaking eye contact, "I love you, Julian –just you. I've never felt this all consuming love for anyone before…I'm never letting you go –ever."
"I won't let you go either," Lian moved his hands from her hips to gently grip her head, holding her still as he covered her mouth with his, their tongues dancing a dance similar to the one their bodies were dancing, Julie undulating over him, his hands moving down her back to grip her round bottom.
Time passed as they raced together towards release, their bodies slick as they shared one soul-shattering climax, a soft scream escaping her as he let out a shout.
Collapsing on him, she struggled to catch her breath, his fast beating heart echoing her own as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head, "I love you, July."
She smiled, turning her head to look at him, her purple eyes studying his face for a few seconds before she tipped her head to kiss his chin, "I love you, Julian."
Kissing her mouth, he buried a hand into her hair, his fingers cupping the back of her head as he tucked it into the crook of his neck, "Go to sleep, baby. Our flight leaves in six hours."
"Where are we going," Julie tried to lift her head to look at him but he didn't let her, a second or two ticking by before she relaxed into him, his fingers rubbing her scalp making her sleepy.
"It's a surprise," Lian rested his jaw against the top of her head, closing his eyes as he let out a satisfied sigh, a feeling of buoyancy filling him with assurance that he was in the right place as sleep slowly creeped in, "You'll have to trust me 'cause you'll be blindfolded."
"The entire way?"
He smiled at the tone of incredulity in her voice, "Until I get you where I want you, yes."
Silence hung in the air before she pressed a kiss over his beating heart.
"Okay."
Dublin, Ireland
December 31st
11:45PM
"This is getting silly," Julie held on tight to Lian's gloved hand as he led her down a street, the cold wind nipping at her nose, the rest of her face kept warm by a scarf he had wrapped around her neck and a silk blindfold over her eyes, "I understand the airport, the plane –even the hotel but why would you blindfold me while we're walking the street?"
"Because you've been here before," Lian tucked her hand into the pocket of his black coat as he turned a corner, the quiet solitude of the cobbled street practically taking him back in time to their first shared New Year, "If you pay close attention to the silence, let the atmosphere soak in, you just might guess where we are."
Julie stayed quiet as they continued walking, feeling the cold little bites of snowflakes brushing against her face, the quiet sound of the wind as it gently blew through empty streets…it was all very familiar.
"It's gonna get a bit slippery, baby, so hold on tight," Lian kept her hand in his pocket but removed his to wrap an arm around her narrow waist, his other hand held tightly in her free on as they went up a slight incline, "Have you guessed where we are yet?"
She smiled as they walked down a slight decline, the snow softly crunching under her boots, "I think I have…"
Lian chuckled, a thrumming magic surrounding them as they walked several feet before the fresh smell of pine filled her nose as far off cheers broke the silence –it was officially midnight on this side of the world.
"I have a mission for you," Lian stopped, letting go of her hand to move behind her, his lips brushing her ear as he undid the knot of the blindfold, "There are five candles I need you to find."
"Out of three hundred and sixty five," Julie's voice had that tone of incredulity that always made him smile, removing the blindfold before wrapping his arms around her as he explained, "They have a ribbon around them –five different colors for five different promises I make to you this new year –promises I plan on keeping for the rest of my life."
Julie's lips curved into a soft smile as she tilted her head back to look up at him, his dark brown eyes filled with love and something else she couldn't quite pinpoint, "Do I need to find them in a particular order?"
He smiled, kissing her nose before letting her go, "Yellow, blue, green, purple and red –read it then blow out the candle to make it come true."
Laughing, she went into the pine trees, weaving around them as she searched the hundreds of candles nestled in the evergreen boughs.
A flash of yellow caught her attention and she backtracked, reaching above her head for a candle with a yellow ribbon, easily undoing the bow to remove the small rolled up strip of paper.
It was a bit of a challenge but she managed to unroll it while holding the candle, the flame flickering and dancing as she read the words penned in Lian's handwriting:
I promise to always make you laugh.
She smiled, carefully rolling it up before slipping it, and the ribbon, into the pocket of her coat as she blew out the candle.
As soon as the wax cooled, she slipped it into her pocket as well, already searching among the shimmering points of light, going around one tree then another before catching sight of a candle with a blue ribbon tied around it nestled in a low bough of a ten foot pine tree.
Crouching down, she carefully picked up the candle, undoing the ribbon to remove the strip of paper.
I promise to help you make your dreams come true.
She sucked in a breath, looking around but he was nowhere in sight.
Blinking back tears, she carefully slipped the paper and ribbon into her pocket before blowing out the candle, her voice trembling slightly as she asked into the silence, "Which one's next?"
His voice carried in the cold air, the big open space amplifying it slightly and making it hard for her to pinpoint where he was, "The green one."
Placing the candle into her pocket, she moved around the tree, catching a glimpse of him as he moved around a tree opposite of where she was –he was mirroring her every step.
Smiling, she turned her attention back to her search, feeling the hard thump of her heart against her chest as she seeked among the candles, biting her lip when she caught sight of the red ribbon but she had to bypass it –she had to find the green one first.
Several minutes later, she found the green ribbon tied around the candle.
I promise to hold you when you need to cry.
She sniffed back a sob, her heart expanding as she blew out the candle –this man truly knew the meaning of romance.
"The purple one is next."
Sniffing again, she placed the paper, ribbon and candle into her half full pocket, eager to find the next one.
It took her a little longer but she finally found it, tucked behind another candle.
She was carefully not to tip the other candle, the ribbon fluttering open as she pulled at it, a the strip of paper unrolling between her fingers as a bit of wax dripped onto her glove.
I promise to stand by you, no matter what.
One more –she had one more to find and she could let herself cry.
Blowing out the candle, she placed it into her pocket along with the ribbon and paper, re-tracing her steps to an eight foot tree at the edge of the small clearing in the middle of the trees, her hands trembling slightly as she picked up the candle, pulling the red ribbon to free the promise it held in place.
I promise to love you through anything and everything.
She took a shuddering breath, blowing out the candle as tears blurred her vision, Lian's voice behind her having her spin around in surprise.
"Don't cry yet."
The tears spilled over, silently rolling down her cold cheeks as she pressed trembling fingers against her mouth.
He was down on one knee, the flames of the three hundred and sixty candles bringing out brilliant rainbows from the multifaceted round diamond, the smaller diamonds embedded in the band glinting just as brightly.
"This ring –" he stared into her purple eyes, his heart beating hard against his chest as he swallowed with some difficulty before starting again, "This ring –it's a promise that I will love you –always…I will honor you in everything I do and say."
The snow was falling softly, dusting his dark hair as he took a deep breath, so nervous he wasn't even aware of his hands getting numb from the cold –he had take his gloves off to be able to hold the ring without dropping it.
"July Star Nelson…"
She tried holding back a sob but it escaped, her red gloves soaking up the tears streaming down her face.
"Will you do me the honor...of becoming my wife?"
