A/N:Well, after getting some positive feedback I thought I'd oblige to the sincere requests to continue the story of Julian and Jenny. To say that I'm surprised to have gotten any reviews at all would be an understatement – in reality I would have even welcomed negative criticism (I'm just happy that someone actually took the time to read my madness). In case I haven't mentioned this before, all characters and the concept of the Forbidden Game are copyright belonging to L.J Smith. Faye and Gahiji are my own figments so please refrain from using them – they don't like to be used ;)

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"Can I trust you?"

Julian tilted his head to the side to give a sidelong look at Faye. "You need confirmation?"

Faye arched her eyebrows and smiled knowingly before linking her arms deliberately through Tom and Dee's and steering them toward the gym doors.

"We won't be long!" Faye called over her shoulder.

Julian watched the others follow like the spineless sheep they were. He silently applauded Faye for picking the leaders of the group to lure them away. The girl was sharp. His gaze followed them across the gym. He saw the resistance in Dee and especially in Tom but Faye was stronger than she looked and propelled them through the doors. With the firm sound of the doors closing securely and now left alone, Julian turned to Jenny.

She seemed to radiate with a golden warmth and he had to restrain himself from reaching out to try capture her essence in his arms. There was fear written over her beautiful face. Fear. It stunned him momentarily. He was so accustomed to observing that emotion that it hardly dawned on him that in Jenny's case, it counted against him.

Julian kept his ground, afraid that the slightest movement toward her would set her bolting for the door.

"How long have I been gone?" He asked when no other words would come to mind. He didn't really care how long he'd been dead for and he would rather not dwell on it. But anything would do to break the awkward silence between them.

"I don't... I didn't exactly keep count of the days." Jenny replied harshly.

Julian pursed his lips and looked steadily back at her. Her fear made her angry, and anger gave her courage. He'd always found her anger intriguing – the pink flush across her cheeks, her bright eyes turning a deeper shade of green, her pulse pounding in the side of her neck.

It didn't surprise him in the least that she hadn't missed him, though he wouldn't admit to it that it wounded him nonetheless. Still, he knew she must have thought about him on occasion.

"You look beautiful, Jenny."

She did. The wine red ball gown complimented her emerald eyes and silk-like mane of gold. Again he had to restrain himself from the impulse to weave his fingers through the golden smoothness and savour the soft texture.

There were the tell-tale signs that she was attracted to him – the subtle hints of uncontrollable human body language. Her pupils dilated when she looked at him and the blood rushing to her supple lips tinged them a slightly deeper shade of pink.

Jenny's cheeks flushed red and this time he knew it wasn't because of anger. A coy smile spread across his lips when she looked away from him stubbornly.

"Do you hate me for what I've done?" Julian asked quietly, hoping she didn't but knowing that it was more than likely.

"I..." Jenny looked back at him blankly, turmoil swimming behind her eyes. "Sometimes."

Julian winced inwardly.

"But then... you laid down your life for me, and Tom, and the others..." Julian gritted his teeth and fought against the compulsion to ram his fist into the floor at the sound of that name, "And you saved us. I don't know what to think... I don't know what else to say." Jenny faltered awkwardly.



"I did it for you." Julian said through his teeth.

If it had been a planned occurrence and he hadn't been rushed into the decision as he had, Tom would have been the last person on Julian's 'to save and protect' list. But Julian hadn't bargained on his ancestors getting involved at all – it had been a split second decision, one that would have been completely different if he'd been aware of his brooding elders' approaching interference.

"Why did Faye decide to bring you back?"

Julian paused and looked at Jenny curiously. Hell, he'd be damned if he knew. Instead of voicing his thoughts, he merely shrugged.

"I don't care why. What matters is that I'm here... with you."

Jenny retreated a step from him wearily, watching him apprehensively.

"What do you want, Julian?" She nearly sobbed.

"I want you, Jenny. I've always wanted you." Julian answered, startled that she would ask when the answer was too obvious to miss. He wondered if she was only looking for reconfirmation on his motives... or maybe she was hoping he'd changed his mind.

"But... why?" Jenny frowned, shaking her head and looking past him.

"Why? Jenny, haven't we been through this before?" Julian asked, genuinely confused. Was it just him or were there really repetitive events between them?

Jenny didn't respond in the way he'd expected she would but it filled him with a tinge of hope. She met his gaze evenly and she was sincere when she spoke again.

"I don't think I can trust you, Julian. How do I know you're not going to trick me into going back to your world with you? I don't know..."

"Jenny, I would do anything to make you believe I'm not going to hurt you." Julian attempted to confine the growing seed of hope inside of him, refusing to let it show in his voice or gaze. He knew Jenny wouldn't yield to him this easily. He knew it even as part of him refused to accept it. "Your happiness is all that matters. I'll give you whatever you desire – name it and it's yours."

Julian leaned against the wall casually, watching her as she chewed her lip thoughtfully, drinking in her fair beauty. He straightened up when she nodded and closed her eyes.

"I want time." Jenny let out her breath and looked back at him cautiously, then added as method of explanation. "To think things through."

Julian didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or ram his head into the wall. Time? Isn't that what she had while he was gone? Wasn't that a sufficient amount of time for her to reflect on herself, and that arrogant prick, and him? He was stumped that they were still together, that Jenny hadn't come to accept the fact that she would be better off without Tom. Of course, it didn't surprise him in the least that the git himself hadn't come to the realization that Jenny was far too good for him – Julian somehow doubted the prude had the intellect to differentiate between right and wrong.

Still, Julian mused, he must have had some sort of influence on Jenny. She was standing in front of him and negotiating with him, wasn't she? Good thing too, Julian thought to himself. He was tired of chasing after her though he knew if she was to run he would pursue her in a heartbeat.

"Then time you'll have." Julian made a slight gesture with his hand.

Jenny hesitated. "Tom will let you know when I've had enough time."

Julian refrained from glaring at her and studied the decorations in the gym instead. Tom, Tom, Tom. Nothing's changed at all – she was still as dependent on the moron as she was in the beginning.

They both turned at the sound of the gym doors opening and Tom came storming inside, a dark shadow across his face. Julian turned to face him, crunching his knuckles in anticipation and the muscles in his arms flexing with preparation. Oh, he'd been waiting for this...

"Do you see? I told you they're only talking!" Faye's voice cut furiously through the tension and Tom was hauled to an abrupt halt by her firm hands.

Tom whirled on her and shouted back just as angrily. "You! You lied to me! You used me!"

Faye's eyebrows jumped into high arches on her forehead at the accusation. She sighed, posture slumping in defeat as she rolled her eyes.



"I never lied to you. So what if I used you, Tom, it's not like you minded that much." There was a bite behind her words.

Tom didn't respond but his entire demeanour was fuming with confusion and anger.

And something else, Julian thought as he watched them interact. Was that the wounded sound of love in his voice or was it just his imagination?

Faye glared at Tom steadily before shifting her gaze to rest on Jenny. "Are you done here?" Faye snapped. Julian dropped his fists and sighed, gazing at Jenny.

"Yes, we're done." Jenny replied quietly, frowning lightly as she looked from Faye to Julian.

"Wonderful. Let's hit the road." Faye ordered and glared at Julian when he didn't move. "You're all I came here for, Julian."

"Wait. That's it? You're just going to leave?" Tom demanded, startled.

Julian sent a sly look at the guy. Was he really that dumb? What other reason would Faye have for hanging around if it wasn't solely to bring Julian back?

"You accused me of using you! That's the most lowest of low insults you could possibly throw in my face, Tom! I don't use people for fun! Lord knows I had my own share of being used to last me an eternity and I swore to never do that to anyone else," Faye exploded, visibly shaking.

"She's right." Julian agreed as he sent another longing glance at Jenny before striding across the gym to Faye's side. "It's not in her nature to use people."

"Don't you even think about getting involved!" Tom spat, pointing a warning finger to Julian's amusement. His hazel eyes fixed back on Faye. "I trusted you with everything, Faye. I let you into my home..." Tom broke off, hurt etched into his handsome features.

Faye pursed her lips, distractedly watching the other members of the group saunter fearfully into the gym. She turned and looked up at Julian expectantly before looking at Tom again.

"We'll talk once you've cooled down."

"No, we'll sort this out right here and right now..."

"No, Tom, we won't." Faye cut him off curtly. "Words said in anger are never meant. Think about it." She added, narrowing her eyes at him before strolling toward the doors, Julian in stride beside her.

They were silent as they walked through the dark hallways and finally stepped outside into the crisp night air.

"So what's the verdict?" Faye sighed heavily.

"She wants time to think." Julian shrugged in reply.

"I thought so." Faye muttered.

Julian wallowed in the unfamiliar sensation of the gravel crunching under his boots and the refreshing air biting into his lungs. His senses were altered, different. He could smell things and feel things... better.

Because everything was solid here, Julian reminded himself. Unlike his world where beauty was fleeting and things seemed to fade, here on Earth it was a completely different story. The road he was walking on wouldn't transform into smooth ice and the moon in the sky wouldn't magically become blocked out by an elemental blizzard. The colours were permanent, the air definite. Real.

Julian lowered his gaze to Faye a while later. His legs were beginning to ache, as much as he wanted to pretend it was just his imagination.

"Why are you so quiet?"

"I'm thinking." Faye replied bluntly.

"About what?"

"Well, good golly gosh, Julian, I don't know," Faye turned to him impatiently. "Maybe about where the hell we're going to take shelter and what we're going to eat."

"Don't get haughty with me." Julian warned quietly.

Faye threw her hands up in mock surrender before hugging herself and picking up the pace. Julian watched her curiously for another moment. He'd never seen her look so forlorn before. It was slightly daunting – this was her territory, after all.



Julian paused when Faye spun around to face him suddenly. "Stay here. Try not to attract too much attention to yourself."

"Where are you going?" Julian frowned, sending a cold look toward the pub up ahead. Drunk people were spilling onto the street, thudding music vibrating through the walls. "Faye..."

"I'm going for a drink. What do you think, Julian?" Faye snorted at his expression and waded through the drunkards into the pub.

Swallowing down a couple of nasty words Julian leaned back against the wall, watching the pub wearily as he waited. Ten minutes later he straightened up, resolving to literally fetch Faye and drag her from the pub himself. He'd taken only a few steps when Faye's white clad figure appeared from the entrance and she turned in his direction. Casting a swift glance over her shoulder Faye bolted down the street toward him.

"Come on!" She gasped when she reached him and steered him into one of the dark alleys that opened up to the road on the other side of the block.

"What are you running away from?" Julian arched his eyebrows at her, shaking her off irritably.

"A mob of bankrupt, peeved-off guys." Faye said and flashed him a cheeky grin in the dark. "I never thought I'd say this but I'm glad I was a street-rat. People still neglect their coins like way back when. Let's go find us a roof, shall we?"