Eternal darkness. His voice had given in a long time ago. He knew this solely by the burning in his throat and the deliberate dryness in his mouth. He couldn't hear his own voice though he knew for certain he was screaming from the bottom of his chest, his body straining against the effort. Now he could feel nothing. Taste nothing. Hear nothing. Smell nothing. Endless. Brutal. Maddening.

There was a sudden sucking noise around him, so loud and abrupt in the silence that it shook him to the core. Then the sound of pathetic whimpering filled his ears. This frightened him more than the silence before had. Through all the ages of his existence he'd never heard anyone or anything whimper in such distraught terror. It chilled even him, and that was saying a lot – as a Shadow Man he thrived on fear. But this…

It made his blood run cold, made him want to cover his ears and run like hell. It wasn't until he noted that the whimpering increased along with his fear that a scattered unreal notion dawned on him that the wretched sounds were coming from him. He breathed in deeply, felt his chest expand, then breathed out slowly. Again. Again. He was curled into a ball and on something cold and hard and smooth. His knees were pressed up tightly against his chest. His eyes were closed though he could see light even through his closed eyelids. Feeling returned to his limbs and he felt control resume its rightful place in his hands.

Along with control came the paralyzing wave of pure hatred, the desire to destroy those that had hurt him. He was going to tear whatever was closest to him into a million shreds…peel their flesh from their bones… dwell in their screams of pain… drink in the horror in their eyes…

Footsteps beside him, light and quick, retreating. His body ached as he uncurled himself painfully slowly from the foetal position he'd been in. He spread out his arms, flexed his muscles back into being. He rolled his head on his neck, the revolting sounds of creaking bones like music to his ears. Then he caught the familiar scent and turned his head in the direction from whence it came. He opened his eyes, squinted at the dim lights before fixing on the figure not too far away from him, sitting on her knees and looking right back at him.

He slowly rose to his feet and amusement played through him momentarily as the girl shadowed his movements. He turned to face her squarely and took a sidestep. She imitated him. He took another. She did the same.

He circled her, watching. She moved with him as though she predicted his next movement. It was like watching himself in the mirror – no matter how hard he tried, she moved exactly like he did. He took a step toward her. She did the same.

Another step, and another. A sneer spread across his lips and he took another step.

This time the girl didn't imitate him. She stood rooted to the spot, blazing eyes staring back at him wearily.

"Where am I?" His voice was weak and hoarse.

"Earth." The girl replied simply.

Julian scanned the Winter Land theme around him.

"Looks like I missed some party."

"Yes, you did."

"Who brought me back?"

"Moi." She motioned to herself gracefully.

"You." Julian repeated, amused. "What is it that you desire?"

"You, Aljunnu." The reply was honest.

"And what can I do for you this lovely evening?"



She wasn't the first human to show off her knowledge of genies and shadow men. He loved this game – he'll have some fun before he killed her. His fingers ached to seize her, he longed to spill blood. The rage within him boiled.

The girl paced slowly, watching him closely. Stalling him, he realized in amusement.

"Name it and I shall give it to you." He said gently. He was good at persuading things, especially humans. This one didn't seem to flinch at his tactics though.

"Where have you been?" She asked instead.

"Nowhere."

"Nowhere?"

"Waiting for you." He felt a disturbing sense that his words weren't entirely hollow. Had he been waiting for her?

Regardless, he saw his words had an effect on her. Something flashed in her warm ruby brown eyes and she tilted her head to the side, studying him as he was studying her.

"You don't remember where you were?"

"What matters is that I am where I'm meant to be."

She smiled. "Yes. On Earth."

"You summoned me for a reason." He pressed lightly.

"I didn't summon you." Her smile deepened.

"You called upon me."

"Yes."

"What is it that you want?"

The girl sighed – and took a step back.

"You tell me, I tell you. What is it that you desire?" She retorted.

She was good at this game. Too good, Julian found it humorous.

"World peace," Julian paced along with her, matching her steps as she had matched his earlier. "To cure all disease. To dance among the stars. Now, you."

"Famine to become a taboo. To spit in Hitler's face. To speak the language of all animals." She was mocking him. "Your turn."

"You are not aware of the rules on how this works, are you?" Julian narrowed his gaze at her.

"There are no rules." She didn't look at him as she stared down at her feet, pacing slowly.

"Of course there are. You called upon me. It is only tradition that I grant you three wishes. Whatever you desire."

"In return for my soul?" The girl eyed him wearily. "I think I'll pass."

She was too smart, he realized. It intrigued him.

"Why did you call on me if you have no wishes?"

The girl paused and looked at him. "Finally you ask the right question. Why would I?"

"Why would you?" He repeated, facing her.

"Why would I?" She cocked her head to the side, dark hair falling like silk around her face.

For a long moment they stared at one another, neither moving. She sighed, the soft breath echoing through the empty room.

"Why would I?" She repeated again, arching her eyebrows at him.

"If you have no wishes… I can offer you a game…"

She blew out her breath and started to pace again.

"What makes you think this is a game?" she asked casually.

"Is there anything to make me think it's not?" He replied.



"You're here. On Earth. I want no magic, no power, no knowledge. I'm not asking you for anything. I'm not playing with you and I'm sure as hell not going to let you play with me." She folded her arms across her chest and looked at him. "C'mon now. You're a bright little spark. You figure it out. Why are you here?"

Julian didn't respond this time. Instead his temper flared up and he glared at the girl. Impudent pathetic human. For all the nerve she had she certainly didn't know what she was up against. As though she read his mind, she spoke again.

"I'm not provoking you, Julian. I'm trying to jog your memory."

"I have too many memories. Which is it that you would like to hear? Better yet, I could show it to you." He replied smoothly.

"No." Her answer was firm and heeded no room for disobedience. She paused, then flicked something small toward him. He caught it easily in the palm of his hand and stared at the ring curiously.

"A sixteenth century poesy ring."

"Mmm, yes." She smiled.

"It was used to be exchanged between lovers as tokens of their affection."

"Correct."

"This is supposed to jog my memory?" He looked at her incredulously.

Her defined features crumbled and there were tears in her eyes.

"Julian, what happened to you? Where were you?"

Something inside of him jarred to an abrupt halt and he stared at her curiously. Strange how she would know his name and utter it with such familiarity.

"Nowhere. Everywhere." He teased.

She tilted her head back and stared up at the fake snowflakes before looking at him again.

"You were dead."

Julian studied the ring another second and closed his palm, smiling. "Define dead."

The ring vanished.

"I resurrected you."

"Interesting."

The girl actually laughed, a bitter cold laugh that vaguely rang bells in the far back of his mind.

"Okay, okay. Let's try a different approach." She breathed deeply. "Do you know the story of Hades and Persephone?"

"Of course I do. I am Hades."

"No. You were Hades."

"I find your riddles dull and without meaning." He sighed and slowly advanced toward her.

The girl stopped in her tracks when he moved closer, holding his gaze evenly. His hunter instincts were slightly dented when his prey made no attempt to flee.

"I'm the bogeyman. I'm the monster in your closet. I bring you nightmares in your sleep. I'm Loki…"

"Just like you're Gahiji's personal toy?" She cut him off.

Julian stopped. Stared. "Gahiji." He repeated.

"Your ancestor."

Julian glared at her. He loathed his ancestors, especially Gahiji…

"The one who created you."

Julian actually laughed at this, his voice echoing like sharp waves crashing into rock.

"Gahiji did not create me." He was right in front of her now.

"No? Then who did, Julian?"



Memory crashed into him and he stared down into eyes like autumn blaze. Recognition dawned on him. Words fled his mind like startled pigeons and he stood, immobile.

"You sacrificed yourself for Jenny. Do you remember that, Julian?"

He closed his eyes. Of course he remembered. How could he have forgotten…

It was a trick. A horrible prank. His elders were playing with him again. The tension in the atmosphere mounted to a sickening heaviness.

"Where am I?" He demanded.

Fear filled the warm gaze staring back up at him.

"On Earth."

"Who brought me here?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"To save you."

"From what?" He seized her arms angrily, his face inches from hers.

She offered no resistance to his physical roughness.

"Yourself." She said quietly but the word resounded through his head with an unmasked ring to it.

He let her go abruptly and stepped away, struggling to gain control of the conflicting emotions inside of him. He heard her sigh of relief. He stood frozen for a moment before looking at her sideways. The hardened expression on his face softened.

"Faye… I nearly killed you." He breathed – and sank weakly to the floor, staring at her.

The look on her face told him she'd been aware of that risk as well.

"You're free now." She said mutedly.

"And you?"

Faye smiled reassuringly. "We're both free."

Julian watched her kneel in front of him. "You're no longer a Shadow Man. You don't belong in the shadows anymore."

"Don't I?" He wasn't convinced.

"Every night has a day."

He blinked at her, startled.

"Your place is here now. With the living."

"What pact did you…" He frowned worriedly.

"Please, Julian. I'm not dumb. There is no pact. No claim."

"That's not possible."

"It's not impossible either."

"I can't exist here."

"Yes you can."

He hated feeling like this – a feeling of such vulnerability that he wanted to tear down the walls and release the frustration of whatever hold she had over him. He slowly rose to his feet and held his hands down to her. Her skin was warm against his as she slid her hands into his and he pulled her to her feet.

He paused. Cocking his head to the side he listened, then turned his gaze to a dark corner of the room and narrowed his eyes. He stepped away from Faye.

"Who's hiding in the dark?"

"Your friends."

Julian stopped and turned to face her, stumped. "Pardon?"

"You do have friends, you know. Even if you don't want to view them in that light."



"Uh-huh." Julian eyed her suspiciously before turning back to the shadows. "Come out of there before I come fetch you."

To his amusement, a small girl with bouncing curls shot out of the darkness like a fire bolt, round blue eyes staring back at him in total fear. Faye chuckled as she joined his side and slipped her arm around his back.

"He's harmless… for now. Come on out." Faye sighed.

Julian watched in total fascination as they emerged from the dark. First Dee, who hurried to support a trembling Summer. Audrey and Michael. Zachary. He felt his heart convulse in his chest.

Jenny and Tom were the last to come forth.

"Jenny…" He breathed, her name filling him with a shocking sweetness that all but consumed him.

A/N: That's it, unfortunately. I have a bad habit of never being able to end a story. Heaven knows I just carry on and on and on and on... So I thought I'd just end it here. It's just drabble anyway. Didn't know where I was going with it really, except for Jenny and Julian living 'happily' ever after.