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CHAPTER 6

Alexis was beyond tired when she walked into her bedroom followed by Julian, who refused to leave her side. Stefan, Nicholas and Sam had decided to stay at the cottage for the night. Nicholas choosing to sleep in the living room, Stefan taking Kristina's room and Sam was in her old room. Her family wanted to surround her, protect her, but she knew there would be no stopping Valentine from taking her. She had always accepted that she could one day die at Helena's hand but she was so much more terrified to live at the mercy of Valentine obsession.

Alexis was exhausted from answering all of her family's questions, Stefan filling in the details when she couldn't recall. Julian, noticing how tired Alexis looked, had called an end to the meeting. Leaving no room for argument he had asked Sam to make sure they were all comfortable, made sure those who could shoot were armed and had taken Alexis's hand and pulled her towards her bedroom.

Alexis had been able to tell her family all the horrors of her childhood without breaking down but now in the sanctity of her bedroom she was unable to hold onto the tears any longer. She felt Julian wrap his arms around her from behind pulling her flush against him. She took comfort in the warmth that his body offered. From the moment Stefan had said the name Valentine she hadn't been able to get warm only now, with Julian's arms around her, did she feel the warmth slowly seep back into her body.

"Sweetheart" he said gently. Turning her gently towards him. "Talk to me".

Alexis shook her head.

"Sweetheart, I will protect you."

She wrapped her arms around him tightly wanting and needing his strength. "He will come and get me, there is nothing you can do to stop him" she said, her voice husky from trying not to cry.

Julian's heart was breaking at how strong Alexis was trying to be. The moment he met Alexis he knew she was one of the strongest women he had ever known. But now she was afraid of what this son of a bitch would do to her. He knew there was more to the story than what she had told them in the living room. She was probably trying to protect the girls, her nephew and him from the horrors of what her childhood on Cassadine Island had been like; but now he needed to know the whole truth so that he knew what he was up against with Valentine.

He gently pulled away so that he could look her in the eyes. "Alexis I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. But you have tell everything that happened in the catacombs."

She looked up at him and caressed his cheek gently "I know you will try to protect me." she placed her small hands on his jaw, stroking gently mesmerized by the beauty of the man before her. She closed the distance between them and she gently placed her lips on his seeking comfort. Her hand moved from his waist, over his chest and around his neck. He slid his hands up her back to thread through her hair and cup her head. She tugged at him, desperately trying to deepen the kiss, but he kept it soft and tender. Her initial desperation calmed as he continued to gently brush her lips, exploring her and letting her explore him. Taking and giving comfort to each other.

Julian didn't want to take pleasure from her when she was so emotionally vulnerable but his love and need for the women in front of him was so overwhelming that he couldn't help the moan that erupted from the back his throat as her lips pressed firmly against his. He felt the sting of her tears as they continued to fall. He tried pulled away wanting to talk about Valentine but she just pulled him closer deepening the kiss. He let her use him to salve the pain she was in for a few minutes before he gently pulled away.

He lifted his head, resting his chin against her hair, eyes closed, concentrating on regulating his breathing. "Sweetheart" he wrapped her in his arms keeping her close even as he pulled away from her lips. Their breath coming in quick huffs as they tried to calm their breathing. "I have my men surrounding the cottage, all the kids have their own personal body guards, Nicholas has his own men guarding you" Julian held her tightly hoping that in his arms he could keep the pain and fear of what her family had done to her away.

"It won't be enough" she said the cracked in her voice breaking his heart.

"Listen to me, I won't let him get to you. I promise." He pulled away so that he was able to look her in the eyes. "And if God forbid he does take you, know that I will never stop looking for you. Nothing or no one will stop me from getting you back"

Alexis heard what he was saying but she knew that Valentine would kill anyone to get to what he wanted and at the moment what he wanted was her. "You can't make that promise and I can't be the reason you die." she said sadly as she gazed into his beautiful honey colored eyes. She had waited so long to find this man. that was now standing in front of her, and she would not be the cause of his death. Her daughters would need him if Valentine took her and Danny needed him is he ever got sick again.

"Sweetie" he said knowing how much she hated when he got extra sugary with the pet names.

She lifted her hand and ran it slowly down his jaw in a soft caress, wanting to memorize the face that she had come to love so much in so little time. "Make love to me" she said softly.

He placed soft kisses on her forehead, jaw, eyes and nose trying to calm the wave of desire that was coursing through him. "Alexis, we need to talk about this" he needed to know what he was up against even as his body demanded that he do as she asked.

She ignored his request and started unbuttoning his shirt. Slowly she pulled the material apart and took a deep breath as she looked at his beautiful body. The man really was handsome. She could feel him wanting to resist her attempts but she knew he wouldn't be able to resist her. He never had been able to say no to her. She kissed his chest and moved up his neck as she felt him tighten his grip on her hips pulling her towards him, his lips claiming hers.

Unable to resist her any longer he lifted her up so that she had to wrap her long lean legs around his waist. He walked them towards the bed, slowly lowering her down as he climbed on top of her putting his weight on his elbows to keep from crushing her. He was able to rip his mouth away long enough to whisper "Don't think we are done talking about this Alexis." she gasped and he didn't know if it was because of what he said or because his hand had made its way under her shirt but after that there was nothing but the soft sighs and moans heard from either person.

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Julian laid on his back with Alexis's head on his chest. Her soft chestnut hair splayed across his chest as he played with the soft ends. He knew she was awake but he was loath to push her just yet on her history with Valentine. Just as he was thinking that she was never going to break her silence she started talking so softly that he had to lower his head a little to hear her better.

"Stefan is the only one who knows the whole truth." she tightened her hold on him "I know this town, my family and friends wonder why I have never abandoned Stefan even after the way he has treated me." Julian pull the covers over her more tightly as he felt her shiver. "But no one knows the hell Stefan and I lived through as children. He was my only savior, the only person to ever love me. Without him, I know I would have died on that island." he tighten his hold on her. Needing to feel her softness against his body and confirm that she was indeed alive and well. The story that he had heard downstairs was pretty bad but if that had been the child friendly version he couldn't imagine what was to follow.