Summary: Juliet's past comes knocking on her door and now she must decide if she wants to face it. Part 1 of 3.
Twenty years ago, Varian met Juliet, and almost every single one of the days in that time he had woken up to find her. In the prison, it had been when he looked across the cell; on the run, they only had one blanket to lay against wood floor; in the time they were young, he had snuck over to her room and fallen asleep to wake up with the sunrise and return home; and now they that were married and actually shared a bed, waking up to see her began the first step of his morning routine.
And after that long, it was still his favorite part of the day. Every time his eyes opened, he would see brown curls and he felt a jolt of joy that this woman was still here with him. Through every twist and turn she and him had found a way back, and every time he saw her like that his heart would fill with gratitude that this was the way his life turned out.
Varian turned on his side, the light green blanket curled tightly to his chest. The first lesson of sharing a bed with Juliet was that he had to stake a claim quickly on at least part of the blanket, because she was notoriously bad at using more than her share of it. It's not that she set out to do it, she would fall asleep and then suddenly the blanket on his side was scarcer than when she was awake.
He rubbed at his eyes as the bright sun shone through the window, waking him up quickly. There had been a time when he had woken up before the sun rose even, so much on his mind and only so few hours in a day to get those ideas out in the world. That didn't happen anymore. He was much too tired.
He blinked, and his eyes focused on the still sleeping form of Juliet, her chest rising in even breaths and hair an unapologetic tangle of curls on the pillow.
He just stared at her for a moment, letting the quiet overtake him. If past days were anything to go off of, four pairs of feet would be bounding down the hall in a few minutes to wake them up, so he was content to let her sleep for a little while longer.
Varian sighed and leaned deeper down into the pillow. He was unsure if he was ready for today. A tight feeling was in his stomach, the kind of feeling that seemed to put you on edge and warn you that something was coming. Maybe that was another reason he had yet to wake up his wife. The longer they stayed here he could ignore that feeling for a few moments.
"I can feel you staring at me," Juliet mumbled, still not opening her eyes. Varian chuckled, momentarily distracted from that taut feeling, and inched closer to her.
"Just trying to wake up," Varian said. Juliet opened her eyes for the express purpose of rolling them and blew some loose hair out of her face.
"They're just going to wake us up in like five minutes," Juliet said. Varian reached over and placed a kiss on her cheek.
"So now I can't look you – my wife – first thing in the morning?" Varian teased. Juliet shook her head and leaned up on her elbows to look at him.
"Oh, look all you want," Juliet said. "I just thought you would be trying to squeeze in as much time sleeping as you could before the day started."
She ran a hand through her messy curls and fell back down against the mattress. She moved closer to him, burying her face into his shoulder.
"That's what I'm doing," she mumbled. He snorted once but reached to place his arm over her waist and pulled her body closer to his. He shut his eyes and buried his face in her neck with a smile.
"Works for me," he whispered. The tight feeling in his stomach returned in the quiet and he felt his body awaken at that irrational fear. He snuggled deeper into her neck and forced himself to ignore it. They still had a few minutes before facing the day, and he was inclined to just stay here for as long as possible.
That fearful panic, however, refused to go away. His body believed something was coming on this day, and he didn't know why but his mind was almost believing. After all the magical and alchemic endeavors he had been a part of, this was not something he could bring himself to take lightly.
He leaned up and placed a kiss to just below her jawline.
"Jules, you know I love you, right?" Varian whispered. He felt her pull back from him and stare at his face, a swirl of emotion in her face.
"Of course, I do," Juliet said softly. She caressed his cheek softly and leaned in to peck his lips just as soft. "I love you too." Her brow furrowed in concern as she pulled away. "Why do you ask? Is something wrong?"
Varian sighed and reached to touch the hand still against his cheek, clutching it tightly in his own as he thought over how to respond.
"I just…have this feeling," Varian said. "That something is going to happen today. I just wanted to tell you."
Juliet's expression changed again. Varian knew she believed him – how many times had she talked about instinct and intuition? She was probably going to start taking it more seriously than he was.
"I'm sure it'll be okay," Juliet said, smile more coerced than it had been a few minutes ago.
"It's not that I feel someone is going to die," Varian said, "or anything like that. It just feels different. Like something is coming."
Varian wasn't even sure that was the best was to describe it. The panicky, coiled feeling in his stomach felt almost like a warning. His senses seemed to be screaming at him that something was coming straight toward him and his family. He had no knowledge of what it was or if was even real, but it was enough to put him on edge.
"'Rian –" she started.
"Mommy!" two voices chorused, the door to their room swinging open with no warning. "Daddy!"
Juliet pulled back some from him, turning to face Maddie and Martin coming their way. Quiet moment gone, Varian pulled his arm back from Juliet and leaned up on his elbows. In time with Juliet, he put on a smile. He didn't want any of the kids to catch wind that he was slightly upset over something that might actually be nothing
Maddie and Martin crawled on the bed with, once again, no warning.
"Good morning!" Maddie, the most vocal of the twins, said. Martin smiled at the edge of the bed, legs crossed.
"Good morning, Maddie," Juliet said. "Good morning, Martin."
Maddie smiled at Juliet and hugged her tightly, green eyes squished shut from her smile. They didn't know where Maddie's eyes had come from – no one in Varian's family tree had that color eyes. They assumed that Juliet's biological family must have them, a fact that Varian knew unsettled her, since though she knew nothing else of them now except that someone in it had green eyes.
"Is your sister and your brother awake?" Varian asked them.
Martin nodded. "Eliza told us to wait for you, but it didn't matter because you guys were awake anyway!"
Juliet shook her head and leaned to full sitting position, moving Maddie so that she was sitting in her lap.
"What about Shawn?" Juliet asked.
"He's off with Rudiger," Maddie said easily. That panicked feeling from before returned and he sat up next to Juliet, who too stiffened at the news.
Rudiger's been known to go off with one of the kids, but never this early in the morning and never before telling one of them. For the first time in a long time, Varian felt something akin to resentment for the raccoon.
"Why-why?" Juliet said, looking at Martin. Either Juliet's gift was more mysterious than they had ever known, or it was an extremely rare gene on Juliet's part, because three of their kids had also gotten her ability to talk to animals. Maddie got the eyes and the other three got to speak with animals.
Maddie frowned for a moment as he thought it over. "Rudiger said he saw you by the forest, so Shawn went to go see. Eliza told him not to go! But he did anyway!"
Varian was up before he could think. Any comfort or quietness from the moment before was gone in an instant, that fear in his stomach rising tenfold. Shawn – his seven-year-old son – was off in the forest God knows where first thing in the morning.
He quickly reached for a vest in the corner and threw it on over his shirt.
"What's Daddy doing?" Maddie said, Varian passing the bed to the door. He could feel three eyes on him and he turned to look into the brown eyes of Juliet, giving a single nod.
I'll be back, it said. He turned to leave before she could respond.
"He's going to look for Shawn and Rudiger," Juliet said, cheerful tone having a harsh edge.
Varian was going to kill a raccoon.
It was two hours later, and Varian had yet to return with Shawn or Rudiger, and Juliet was getting worried.
She had thought that this would be a simple thing – Varian would find where it was Rudiger had taken Shawn and then bring them both back here so that way they could talk to Shawn about not following Rudiger, or anyone, without their permission or telling them first and then could speak with (re: explode on) Rudiger about taking their kids off places without their consent.
But it was becoming an event. The twins and Eliza were asking where they were, a question Juliet was finding less and less certainty about the answer and she could tell it was starting to shine through, and she also had to get them off to school. If she didn't Miss Harmon would come up with some embellished story about them as an excuse about why they weren't there on time.
Dread weighing down her heart, she finally managed to get the three of them out of the door. She eventually decided she would just have to join Varian in the search after Eliza, Maddie, and Martin made it to school.
Old Corona – though it was growing – was still a particularly small town. That meant the path to the small school on the edge of main street was lined with people that the kids had known since infancy. They were waving and trying to talk the ear off everyone they passed, which Juliet noted with faint amusement and pride.
Her kids weren't shy, that was for sure.
"Hi Mister Holiday!" Eliza said, math book clutched tightly to her chest. Mr. Holiday smiled as he swept the outside of his store and waved at them.
"Good morning, Miss Wry," Mr. Holiday said. He nodded over her shoulder at Maddie and Martin, who were still so young that Juliet made them stay within arm's reach of her when they left home and crinkled his eyes in a smile. "Mister Wry, Miss Wry."
The three of them giggled at the address. They were still only children, so they were generally called by their first names. Mister Holiday – however – always called them by formal addresses, a twinkle of tomfoolery in his voice.
His eyes cast over Juliet, and Juliet saw a little bit of confusion in his eyes. "Mrs. Wry, I see you're faring better than earlier."
Juliet furrowed her brow. "I'm sorry Mr. Holiday, but I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."
Now Mr. Holiday seemed confused as well. "You passed through earlier, seemed confused, asking where it was Mr. Wry – your father-in-law, that is – was. When I reminded you that he was in Southtown meeting with some old friends of his you seemed like you had no idea what it is I was talking about."
Juliet pulled Maddie and Martin closer instinctually at this revelation. Though the words at first presented no danger, it was strange and unsettling and given that one child may possibly be missing, this was news that was doing little to get her off the edge she was on.
"You also were wearing a different dress," Mr. Holiday said. Juliet bit her lip and stepped forward, reaching out to take Eliza's shoulder to pull her back.
"You must be mistaken," Juliet said, voice leaving little room for argument. "I haven't left my home today before now." She pulled her kids back onto the path. "Now if you'll excuse us, we really must be –"
"Mommy, that lady looks just like you!" Eliza cut in.
"What?" Juliet said, looking down at her ten-year-old. Eliza, not looking back at her, pointed back down to the end of the street. Maddie and Martin were now looking too with wide eyes, but smiles.
"Daddy!" the twins chorused, running off from her. Juliet reached out to grasp them again but caught only air as they rushed forward. Juliet was comforted, however, when she realized it was in fact Varian they were running towards.
Varian was walking from the ever end of the street, and Juliet was relieved to see a very uninjured but smiling Shawn with him. Shawn was clutched Rudiger tight to his chest, the little raccoon looking a little sheepish but otherwise content, one of Varian's hands on his shoulder.
But Juliet's eyes widened when her eyes saw a chocolate pair the same shade as hers, an anxious look on the owner's face. They had brown hair collected into a neat bun, clothed in a dress so splendidly beautiful that Juliet wondered if Rapunzel – the princess – would even have a dress as gorgeous. Everything this woman was an exact copy of her, down to the slope of her shoulders and curve of her wrist.
And then a memory, unsure where from, so new Juliet doubted it was real.
"Samantha!" she cried, desperate calls never making it over the stormy waves. She reached across the life boat to where an identical girl sat across the waves in another, a man with green eyes holding back the other one before they could fall into the waters below.
"Daddy!" the twins said again, crashing into Varian's legs. Varian smiled at them and rubbed Martin's hair affectionally.
"Hey kiddos," Varian said. Eliza skipped over to the exchange now, excited to see her father, while Juliet slowly approached. In the excitement of seeing Varian it seemed the kids had failed to notice the doppelganger of their mother again, but Juliet was well aware and nervous to say the least.
The woman – who had been watching Varian and the kids with cursory glances – looked up to face the incoming Juliet. Any confusion the woman may have had flooded away when their eyes locked for real, a wide smile tracing her face as she rushed towards Juliet.
"Sabrina!" the woman said, embracing Juliet quickly. Juliet stiffened under her touch, eyes widening as she looked over at Varian for some kind of explanation. Varian nodded down at the four little ones currently scattered around him and his silent meaning was clear.
Later.
Returning home after dropping off the kids was silent, which was elected to by Juliet.
She clutched Varian's hand tightly as they walked home, ignoring the continued smiles and stares by the woman who had yet to give her a name. Why had this woman called her Sabrina? Why had she been with Varian and Shawn?
Juliet shook her head to clear it and Varian squeezed her hand tightly. She looked up at him – hopeless confusion on her face – and his lips quirked to the side, a comforting flicker in it. Juliet couldn't find it in herself to return it, but she did clasp his hand tighter as a silent thank you.
They eventually made it home, the identical woman still smiling through it all.
"So, um, can I you get some tea or something?" Juliet asked, entering their main room. The woman shook her head, still beaming from ear-to-ear, and clasped her hand together.
"Sabrina!" the woman said. "I'm so glad to see you again!"
Sabrina. Juliet reached to her collar, where her locket always was hidden, and pulled out the trinket with a frown.
"Sabrina?" Juliet said. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but my name is Juliet."
The woman's fervor didn't disseminate at this. "Oh, yes, your husband did tell me you had some memory loss."
Juliet's eyes popped open and she turned to him accusingly. He raised his hands up to plea innocence and lead them over to the chairs in the corner.
"He did?" Juliet said, eyes burning into Varian's back.
"Oh, yes!" the woman said. "I met him this morning when I saw your little raccoon friend and your son, Shawn right?"
Juliet was too confused to consider the words completely, so she just nodded.
"Yes, Shawn, that's what we call him."
Technically Shawn was his middle name, but they didn't want to get into that.
The woman took a delicate seat down on their old, navy blue sofa and Juliet almost did a double take. This woman looked far out of place in their home – fancy clothes and perfectly styled hair against a backdrop of tattered furniture and walls stained from alchemy and children. But the woman didn't seem to care, her elation almost growing the longer she remained her.
"I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself," the woman said as Juliet sat down next to her. "You probably don't remember me if you don't remember your own name. My name is Samantha, your twin sister."
Twin sister?
Juliet had been struggling to come up with some kind explanation for their identical looks – something she hadn't been able to give when the kids had clamored for one earlier – but twin sister?
"Sorry – what?" Juliet asked. Samantha nodded once and tried to take her hand, but Juliet jerked back before she could. Juliet felt Varian shift from behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder at such an outward burst of distrust.
"I'm your twin sister," Samantha repeated again. Juliet could see a little hurt in Samantha's eyes – her eyes. "You're my sister, Sabrina."
Juliet held back her tongue – which was aching to correct Samantha that she was Juliet – and clutched her locket again. She reached to pull it off and held it out to Samantha, who took it with a cursory look. Samantha looked down at the locket for a moment, thumb ghosting over the letters, now very worn and crusted over, the word 'Ina' almost impossible to make out.
"Sabrina?" Juliet asked. "As in Ina?"
Then Samantha's face lit up once she put together the word, clutching the item very tightly herself now.
"Mom gave this to you!" Samantha reached down into the collar of her own dress, revealing a much nicer, golden version of Juliet's necklace. Much like the two of them, they were identical, except Samantha's had her full name written out in swirling, loopy script.
Juliet reached out to touch the locket, fingers briefly finding purchase on the item.
"Happy birthday!" a woman with red hair said, presenting her and a young girl with two boxes. Her and the identical girl shared grins as they looked at the petite items.
"Thank you!" the two of them said, before opening them to reveal two small necklaces. She picked up her own in wonder, marveling at the loopy script spelling out her name – Sabrina.
Juliet gasped as the memory came back, hand flinching back from the item.
"Jules?" Varian crouched next to her, taking once hand in worry. Juliet blinked rapidly as she tried to process what she just saw. That couldn't be real – she had never remembered before, why now? But it had felt so real and personable, that it couldn't have been a dream.
"Our birthday," Juliet whispered, staring at Samantha. Samantha smiled. "Mom-mom gave it to us for our birthday."
Juliet reached out to take her own necklace back, which Samantha returned with no fight. Samantha's smile was tainted now with some sorrow as she watched Juliet.
"It was our last one, before you-before you –" Samantha cut herself off. Juliet raised a brow.
"Before I shipwrecked?" Juliet supplied. Samantha nodded subtly.
"Assuming all this is real, why-why did you just find me?" Juliet asked. "I've been missing for thirty years."
Samantha shrugged. "Dad pioneered for a couple years but died a couple of years after. Mom was, well, Mom about the whole ordeal."
Juliet wasn't unsure what Mom being Mom was but decided not to question it for now. A faint string of empathy did pass when she found out that the man who could be her Dad had died – regardless of this was true, he had been someone's father.
"But Aunt Elizabeth has led the search for the longest time! She heard wind of a peculiar island girl here in Corona, so she sent me to investigate."
"Aunt Elizabeth?" Varian cut in, raising a brow.
Samantha nodded. "Yes, she's our mother's sister. Most people call her Eliza, but she's not really fond of the nickname."
Juliet bit her lip in amusement. That was a cute coincidence, her possible aunt and daughter shared a name and nickname. It seemed Varian shared the sentiment because he gave a soft chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Samantha asked, brow tightening.
"Our eldest daughter's name is Elizabeth," Varian explained, "and we call her Eliza."
This did cause a slight laugh out of Samantha, who stared at Juliet again with a beam.
"This just proves it!" Samantha said. "Some part of you remembered Eliza and named your daughter after her!"
Juliet wasn't sure how much proof that was but did admit that was a nice hypothesis. Eliza had been the only child Juliet had named alone, since it was the only birth Varian hadn't been present for. Juliet had looked down into the face of her infant daughter and felt something stir – something she had only passed off as maternal instinct later – that called her to name Elizabeth what she did.
Once again, it seemed Varian was on the same page as her, because he looked uneasy at that statement.
But the evidence was starting to add up. Samantha looked just like her, knew the origins of her locket (with a matching one to boot), and had relatives sharing names that Juliet had picked for unknown reasons.
It seemed at least likely that Samantha was her family.
"Mom will be so excited to see you!" Samantha continued. "When we return to Iridia she'll be elated. She'll just love your kids – they're so cute –"
"Hold on," Juliet said, interrupting Samantha with a glare. "Return to Iridia? I can't – we can't – just leave Old Corona."
Samantha cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Why not?"
Juliet scoffed. "Our lives are here." She motioned around their home. "The kids have school, and the animals around here depend on me, and Varian has to help his dad run the town!" Her voice was escalating, and she knew it. Varian put a hand on her shoulder again to calm her.
Samantha looked helpless. "It's just, it's been so long – we've all wanted to see you, especially Derek!" Samantha reached for her hand, but this time Juliet didn't flinch back. "You don't remember Derek, don't you Sa-Juliet?"
Juliet's mind searched for anyone named Derek and came up empty. "No, I'm sorry."
Samantha shook her head. "Regardless, it's been thirty years. At least considering visiting, at least for a little while, so that way we can all make sure you're okay."
Juliet was unsure. She bit her lip nervously and gripped the hand of Varian's still clutched in her own. She-she had responsibilities here, duties, and a family and home. She can't just leave it, even for a little bit. Old Corona was where she belonged.
She looked to Varina, hoping he could provide an answer on what he thought she should do, but all she got was a comforting smile. No leaning, no bias, just urging her to pick a side.
Something she couldn't do, not right now.
She sighed. "I'll think about it."
Samantha reached across the sofa to hug her again. Juliet didn't hug back, but she didn't stiffen either.
It was a start.
"What do you think I should do?" Juliet asked hours later, legs crossed on the mattress. Varian looked up from where he was scratching something on paper at the desk, surprised at her sudden talking. Not that she could blame him – she had rather unceremoniously handed to him the duties of explaining that Samantha was Juliet's sister when the kids had returned home with questions and then hardly said anything else, too wrapped up in her thoughts.
She had a twin sister. One that wanted her to come with her – even for a little while – to meet her old family, new family in tow. It was a daunting prospect.
"About your hair?" Varian asked, raising a brow teasingly. "You've been toying with cutting it for years now, I say just do it."
Juliet rolled her eyes. "About my sister, 'Rian."
"Oh, then definitely. You two are identical, allow a little more distinction."
"Varian, you're not helping," Juliet sniped. Varian laughed and stood, items forgotten on the desk. He sat down next to her with a smile, which Juliet refuted with a large frown.
"Jules, I don't know what you want me to say," Varian said. Juliet sighed and leaned into his shoulder.
"Tell me if you think we should go," Juliet said. "I have no idea."
Varian shrugged his shoulders and reached to take a loose strand of her hair. He began braiding it mundanely, eyes never leaving the three pieces.
"I can't tell you," Varian said. "It's your decision."
"It's just – we have so much to do here," Juliet said. "You have to help your dad –"
"Dad ran the town just fine before I came of age, he can do it again for a few months."
"—and the animals –"
"Jules, the forest here worked completely in tune before you came to Old Corona."
"—and the kids! They have school and friends here!"
"The kids are the highest in their grades, you know that. Besides, I'm sure we could convince Miss Harmon to send with us a little catch-up work for them. And their friends would understand – and letters! Don't forget letters! It's how I got you to fall in love with me!"
Juliet crossed her arms and looked up at him, braided piece swinging out of his grip and slamming against the side of her face with a gentle thud.
"I thought you said you didn't have a preference," Juliet said. Varian smiled kindly.
"Playing Devil's Advocate, sweetheart," Varian said. At her seething look, he backed down and gave her a serious look. He placed both of his hands on her shoulders tightly.
"Look, Jules, all I know is this," Varian said, "the decision is yours. That's not my sister that came looking for me. It's yours. If you want us to go, then we will. If not, we'll stay here." He sighed at her expression.
"But since you want my opinion, I guess I'll just say this," Varian said. "The kids want to know, they were all over Samantha asking questions about her and her family, about what you were like as a little kid. I know that you don't remember a lot of it and the pieces coming back now are frightening, but those kids down there want to know."
Juliet smiled. All at dinner, the four kids had been blowing up Samantha with questions about her home, who she was, and what Mom was like. Their eyes had lit up and it had taken much bribing and scolding to get the four of them to bed and away from Samantha, which may have included letting a certain ring-tailed creature sleep in the kid's room tonight.
And Rudiger. Rudiger too had been excited to see someone like her, and though he had been disappointed that Samantha wasn't like her in the way Rudiger found useful, he too wanted to know more about the family who had – in his words – "gave Varian his mate", which had resulted in Rudiger being excused early from dinner after the kids had asked questions about that.
Okay, she too was curious, but there was an undercurrent there to it. A fear that it wouldn't be something that was good, that her family would take one look at the woman she became and cast her out again. Cast out her kids because of it.
She couldn't let that happen to them.
"Varian, once I know who they are," Juliet said, "I can't un-know. What-what if they hate me? Or the kids? Or you? Or –"
Varian quickly quieted her once her voice started to rise again, leaning closer to her with a smile.
"Jules, if we get there and they for some reason hate you – which they won't, you're you – then we'll turn around and leave. And if they say one thing about the kids, you know we'll be out there faster then you can say 'run'."
Juliet laughed.
"I can't tell you what to do," Varian said. "But we'll be here."
Juliet looked into his eyes, hoping for one last word that could guide her, but found nothing. Only hope, hope in her, which she severely wished wasn't misplaced.
Juliet sighed, took the leap, and said, "I guess a few months can't hurt."
You guys remember 'These Runaways Will Run The Night', right? Well, we're back to chronological one-shots like that for a bit because we're finally getting some backstory for my gal Jules. *throws confetti* Hurrah!
I've been sitting on this for a while, but I couldn't find a way to make it work because originally it was just a fraternal sister, but then I realized that the animals would freak if they saw Juliet and she didn't know what they were saying, which is why they went after her kids to see if they knew what was going on.
And originally only Shawn talked to animals too, but I realized no one would know where he went so I upgraded Martin to have it. Then I just let Eliza have it because way back when, V and J only had Eliza in the early stages of these fics, and she could do it too. And Maddie doesn't because…. reasons. But she's amazing and I love her too.
Review replies:
BowtiesAreCool11: Thank you! I always love children's reactions to babies, because they don't have that adult filter of 'don't say that', so they're more honest. And I love Travis because he's just so - for lack of a better term - 'extra'. He got his father's overdramatic ways, so he's so much fun. Especially when he's older, because that blunt edge comes off everywhere but his head. And that was a little calmer - the next little bit will be a rollercoaster for everyone involved, so I wanted them to be happy before I carted them off for Angstville. J's death is one that'll be a little ways off because after the hell I put them through here, we're going to need a little bit of light and airy stuff. It meant a lot to see your review. Y'all have a blessed day!
And again, requests are open! If you want V and J to do something, I'll try to tackle it after the arc is finished.
-Princess Chess.