Hello, here another story about The Gran Hotel, hope you like it.
This story its a two chapters story, centered in Julio and Alicia. First chapter, takes place around season one and its just a missing scene for the season.
Remembering that in the first season, Julio and Alicia were just friends, they shared a kiss in the end of the season, but got the affair, just on season 2.
Other than that, in season 1, Andres didnt knew he was Alicia´s half brother (her father´s side) so in this story, he is just a chamberlian, like julio.
One more thing about it, its that the show didnt explore Julio´s past, just that he was a part time thief, so i took the freedom to make up one.
Now the second part, it will take place around five years after the end of the show, but if i say more, i will spoil the story.
Hope you like it.
Please, enjoy.
WHATCHING OVER
That day, Alicia promised Julio she would accompany him to Cantaloa´s Village, so they could find some clue about his sister Christina´s disappearance. This way, after breakfast and telling her fiancé Diego that she was going to buy a perfume at the village, she went to the front yard, where Julio said he would met her, however, after waiting an hour, he didn't appear, making her angry.
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Meanwhile, back at the staff´s dormitory, Andres rush back to his room, just to find his roommate Julio, still under the covers, trembling from head to toe.
''Julio, are you still in bed? You will be fired if you don´t come down to the saloon with the others!'' Andres scolded.
''I´m not feeling well Andres, I think I have spent to much time in the rain last night'' Julio whispered ''Could you cover for me today? If someone ask, just tell them I am not feeling well'' he said and in response, Andres smiled and patted his shoulder.
''Alright my friend, stay in bed today and I will see what I can come up with'' Andres said and left the room.
With one less chamberlain on board, the hotel staff had to work even harder to serve all the rooms and tables from the place. As promised, Andres told the maître, Don Benjamin that Julio was sick and as expected, the maître just advised him to get well as quick as possible, otherwise, he would be fired.
A few hours later then, as Andres finished to arrange a few tables, Alicia, who was having lunch by herself, called him aside to talk and asked about Julio.
''He wasn´t feeling alright this morning, Miss Alicia.'' Andres said and Alicia´s heart sank.
''Sick?'' she gasped ''How sick?''
''Real sick I suppose, he went to the tavern last night for a fight and was caught by the storm. He coughs all night when coming back'' said the chamberlain and she nodded.
''Take me to him Andres'' she asked.
''But Miss Alicia…''
''Please, Andres'' she said in an ordering tune and he could not help but obey.
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In silence, both made their way to the Staff dormitory and as Andres had said, Julio was nestled under the covers that barely warmed him, while he shivered. That sight cut Alicia´s heart and quick she approached him, placing a hand on his face.
''He´s burning up!'' she exclaimed ''Andres, help me her, you think he have some extra sleeping clothes?'' she asked worried.
''I suppose, why?''
''Help him get change, I will grab some covers from my room and came back'' she said and left in a hurry.
As she made her way back to the staff´s corridor, she came face with face with Diego, who looked confuse at her, after all, just a few hours earlier, she said she was going to the village and now she was coming downstairs with a heavy blanket on her arms. For a moment however, she was relieved as Diego seemed more understanding than her mother.
''Alicia?'' he asked confused ''Aren´t you supposed to be at the village? And why are you carrying this blanket?''
''I´m busy now Diego!'' she said trying to make another excuse ''I came back, because my mother said Sofia was sick… and… this blanked isn't clean as I wish, so I'm taking it personally to the maids to wash it'' she said and before Diego could ask another word, she left.
No need to say Andres become perplexed when Alicia entered his room with the blanket to cover Julio and more surprised, he got, when she asked him to bring towels and a hot tea.
''You can say its for one of the guests, go Andres, quick!'' the lady ordered and the chamberlain left.
''You think he´s going to be alright?'' Andres asked worried, after placing the tray on his bedside table.
''I´m sure he will'' Alicia said softly, placing the cold towel on his head ''You can go back to work Andres, I will stay with him''
''But Miss Alicia…''
''I will be fine, you can go, I don't want you to lose your job, go'' she smiled and with a nervous nod, the man left closing the door behind him.
Once alone with Julio, she keeps looking over his handsome face and smiled, trying to imagine, if Javier would do for her, the same thing Julio was doing for his sister, if she gone missing. Julio´s attitude, in her point of view was very brave, not only he traveled half country lo get to his sister, but he was walling to disguise as something he never did, just to investigate what happened to Christina.
Alicia´s heart of course, skipped a beat as she thought about all the time she and Julio spent together, while she helped him at the investigation and specially, when he hold her hand the other day, preventing her to fall on the stairs.
''I died and gone to heaven…'' Julio´s voice made her jump as had been brought back to reality.
''Its isn't the kind of comment from someone who pretended to be a noblemen and an architect just two nights ago'' Alicia smiled ''Andres told me you were feeling sick, you got a nasty flu'' she said and he nodded
''I´m sorry for keeping you waiting.'' Julio said ashamed and sad ''We really need to get to the village and…'' he tried to get up, but Alicia hold him down again.
''First, you need to rest'' she warned him ''Your sister will be upset if you get sicker while searching for her. Now, here, drink this tea, it will make you feel better.''
''Thank you'' Julio smiled ''Alicia, happy will be the man who find you to love, you have healing powers'' he said and she blushed.
''I was intending to became a nurse, or a doctor, but as I told you the other day, my mother thinks I will be better been a wife.'' She smiled ''And about you?''
''I´m a tailor, to be fair'' he said between coughs.
''Drink a bit more of the tea.'' Alicia give him the cup ''You´re a tailor then?''
''I really wanted to be an architect, but the money wasn't enough for my studies, my father was a tailor and my mother is a seamstress, so I joined the trade. Anyway, I never liked to study, I preferred to go to the street to fight and I ended up getting together with the wrong people. Unlike Christina, who has always been a scholar.'' He said and Alicia smile.
''I have an idea, when this investigation end and you find Christina, I promise I will recommend your services as a tailor, to every member of Spain high society'' Alicia laugh ''Now you have to rest, your fever is breaking, but you are still weak, I will be here with you for a bit.''
''You don't have to!'' Julio was worried, if someone saw her there, they will have problems.
''But I want to. You sometimes seem unbearable, but you are a good friend, the only friend I have had for a long time'' she confessed and with a mal laugh, Julio fall sleep again.
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An hour later, Andres rushed back to his room to a quick break and to check on his he opened the door to his room however, a sight made him smile. While Julio slept peacefully under the covers, Alicia had dozen off on the chair beside the bed, the wet towel lying on her knee.
For a second, he thought of coming back to work without interrupt the scene, but knowing people would start to ask about Alicia, he woke her up gently.
''Miss Alicia, its everything alright here?'' he whispered touching her shoulder.
''Andres? Yes, everything alright, his fever is vanishing, thankfully'' she said ''Andres, I will order a soup in my room, I want you to go there in one hour, get the soup and bring to Julio.'' She asked ''Thank you Andres!'' and she left before he could protest.
When Alicia came back to the main hall, as Andres warned her, a lot of people came to talk to her, still, expecting the situation, Alicia had all the answers up and about.
To her mother and sister, she said she was taking a walk by the seashore, since she missed it a lot and because of that, she ended up wetting her dress.
To Diego in the other hand, she said she was on the hotel library, reading all the time, however, when she was making her way toward her room, a waiter slipped and dropped a jar of water in her dress.
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Next day by the morning, after telling her mother she was going to Cantaloa buy a book she didn't find in the library, she joined a much better Julio at the backyard and they resume their search for Christina.