I skipped down the cobblestone path towards the Clock Tower engrossed in my thoughts. I'm not going to get anywhere moping around trying to figure this out. No one else will know; Julius hardly talks to any of the Role Holders and Gowland has no idea. I sighed as my frustration got the better of me. That's it. I'm done beating around the bush.

I'm going to go torch the stupid thing and ask Julius himself.

"Julius?" I called trotting up the stairs with a bit more vigor. My stomach churned nervously. I know I'm being nosey but I want to know. No...I need to know. And if he does turn out to be into 'that' then I need to find a way to wean my feelings off of him. I'm not one to go and try to change someone.

"I don't need you to check on me so often." Julius coldly returned as I turned into the doorway. His long fingers gently turned an impossible to see screw with an even smaller drill bit tightening an unseen problem. My heart gently thumped a little harder as I watched his hands coolly sweep the desk rearranging and positioning tools for later use.

"I'm on break." I explained carefully approaching him. Now, how to slyly ask if he's into Ace or not? 'Hey Julius are you and Ace fooling around?' Yeah, that would be real smooth.

"Why did you decide to take your break here?" Julius asked almost sounding incredulous under his stern growl.

"I felt like it. And I had a feeling you haven't taken a break yet." I noted peering over his fingers. The look stiff with exhaustion too. My eyes slowly trailed up the length of his long sinuous arms resting on his extremely stiff shoulders. Despite his fluid movements his shoulders remained tight and rigid, hardly moving at all with his superfluous movement. I can't even begin to imagine how many knots he has sitting hunched over for years on end doing a job like this. I clapped my hands together, making him jump as I gained his full attention. "Alright, that's enough. Take a break Julius."

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Liar; you look like you're about to pass out - oh my gosh did you work all night after I left?" I glared a guilty flicker in his eye before it was eaten up by resentment.

"And what if I did? It is not as though if I take a break the clocks will stop; with every minute I waste another clock is added to the pile. Furthermore this is my profession. If a little girl came every day and then suddenly began nipping at your heels to cease your daily tasks, then how would you react?" He questioned as he set his tool down. Ohhh Julius is looking for a fight.

"I'd be pissed. But the problem is that you don't know when to stop." I countered folding my arms in defiance. His eyes narrowed.

"I am perfectly capable of handling myself."

"Which is why I found you passed out on the floor the first time I came? Yep." I agreed refusing to relent. He heavily sighed realizing that he was getting nowhere with this. "Look, Julius, I'm not asking you to go off on vacation for a week. I'm only asking you to take short breaks every now and then to keep your sanity in check. Half hour, twenty minutes at most." I compromised. Julius hedged for a moment; he knows that's not too much to ask.

"You're much more reasonable than Alice -," he cut himself short darting his gaze to mine. I smiled despite the angry flare that lashed about in my chest.

"I know how to compromise. So how about it?" I asked daring him to argue against me. He heaved yet another sigh.

"Troublesome woman...," he muttered slipping to his feet as he swayed over to the couch, willingly sitting down and leaned back. I grinned; Alice would be so jealous if she saw me right now. I was able to make Julius take a break without breaking his arm this time. Julius closed his eyes resting his head on top of the cushion. He slowly breathed out as the tension unwound from his limbs. His shoulders, however, remained strained unable to wind down quite so easily. I slumped over to the exhausted man looking over him from behind the couch. He almost looks asleep. My prying fingers slipped over his shoulders squeezing the muscle beneath. His eyes cracked open for a moment as though to ask what I was doing.

"I'm rubbing your shoulders; that's all." I explained trying to crush the knots out of existence. To my dismay he remained silent allowing me to do with his body as I pleased. I smiled and continued to knead his skin shoving against the rigid strands of tissue into softer billowing threads. My hands slowly traveled lower on his back finding the same condition.

"He Julius, can you lay down for me?" I asked gently pushing him over. He paused before relenting, resting on his stomach. He's being surprisingly submissive. He must be beyond tired at this point. I swung around the couch continuing to push and rub his stiff back. He remained tense but gradually fell under my hypnotic fingers. A smile spread across my face as his breath came in nice and steady, completely under my control. He's surprisingly cute when he's submissive.

‡

I glanced over to the tall clock nestled in the corner. Whoops. It's been an hour already? I lifted my aching fingers stretching out the overused digits. Ow. I sighed gently riding my palms over his upper back leaning into his ear. I bet he'll jump awake~

"Wake up, Julius. You fell asleep." I whispered. Julius sucked in a long, deep breath as he rolled his shoulders almost like a wave. His head tilted to the side as his sleepy orb spied me. I leaned in closer. Oh he's going to freak. I just know it. His arm slapped over my shoulders as he leaned forward connecting our lips. An immediate jolt shot down my spine as his soft lips pushed against mine. K-Kiss? Kiss? It's a kiss. My heart pounded heavily as he pulled back, still under the spell of sleep.

"Good morning, Alice...," He mumbled falling back onto the couch.

Alice.

Of course Alice.

It will never be Jackie.

Only Alice -!

My fist whipped forward catching him right in between the eyes. His wide orbs, completely rid of the sleep before, popped open as he leapt back, smacking into the back of the couch in a confused heap.

"Morning sleeping beauty." I growled with a forced smile.

"J-Jackie?!" My heart ached horribly. Don't call my name after saying Alice's so gently and lovingly.

"Yep; sorry that I'm not your precious Alice. Or, better yet, Ace." I hissed icily swinging around the couch. I swear...

"Ace?" Julius questioned, as if startled for me to have mentioned the name. My eyes narrowed.

"What? It's pretty obvious that you two have a thing going and then you go and hit on Alice? I don't get it; so are you into men or women? Or both?" I asked with a disgusted sneer. I don't get it. Why am I being so mean about it? My chest tightened, frightened to hear the answer. Julius's eyes grew wide as he jumped to his feet suddenly livid.

"WHAT DID THAT IDIOT KNIGHT TELL YOU?!" He nearly shouted. I hedged back from the fire spitted words. Huh?

"You mean...you and Ace aren't like this?" I asked crossing my fingers. His eye bulged before tightening.

"That foolish knight just goes and does as he pleases despite my protests. I do not enjoy it in the least." Julius denied, disgusted with the mere thought. I carefully studied his genuine words and lips curdled in disgust. He's telling the truth. "Why are you smiling?"

"Huh?" I asked unable to mask my joy. So he's straight. Well, that clears up one thing. But the other is the fact he's still hung up on Alice. The very thought put a scowl on my face. "I'm not smiling."

"You were."

"I wasn't."

"Why are you lying?"

"I'll get you some coffee." I trotted right out the door trying to divert his questions.

"Don't avoid me. There's a reason you brought such a thing up. Why?" Julius pushed following right behind me. I ignored him as I slipped out the beans crushing them to perfection. "Jackie."

"What?"

"Why would you ask such a thing?" Why are you so persistent today? Normally he just brushes off my stupidity so why is he so intent on this one? This sucks. I poured the hot mixture into a mug making sure the filter stayed in place.

"Jackie, why won't you answer me?"

...

"Jackie, answer me."

...

"Jackie."

...

"Troublesome woman, why will you not answer me?" He growled, sounding more like he was begging than scolding.

"Because I -!" I began before I nearly screamed as scalding hot liquid splashed onto my leg. I quickly tilted the saucer back up glaring over the large stain over my thigh. Wow that hurt -! Julius's hands were on me in an instant popping me right into the air and onto the counter. I swayed, taken off guard as he set me right next to the sink lying my leg over the metal bowl and turned the cold water on over my leg. I flinched and gripped his shoulder as the cold water warred with the burnt skin. I shakily breathed out unable to make my fingers let go of him. Why am I holding so tightly onto him when I want nothing more than to push him away at this point? He will never love me; his clock is still being consumed by Alice's.

"Does it still hurt?" He muttered gently running his hand over the soaking wet fabric. I flinched and jerked forward. Ow...

"It's fine." I answered as my leg throbbed like a migraine. Julius's eyes narrowed as he saw right through my little lie.

"Wait here. I'll go get some -," in that instant the lights flickered out. Wha- a thunderous boom shook the windows as a flash of lightning lit up the night sky. My heart froze where it was as the blood in my veins turned to ice. L-Lightning...oh my gosh -! Julius sighed, oblivious to my reaction as he went off into the other room.

The second he was gone I darted to the stairs only to freeze in terror. If I flee now I'll be caught in the middle of it all. My heart pounded wildly as I desperately looked for a place to hide. This overbearing protection flicked on as my instincts took over. Every time...every time if I didn't hide she would find me. Lightning made her blood go a flame and attack me. I need to hide -!

I darted down the hallway slipping into the room Alice used to use and leapt up into the closet, shutting the door behind me. My gosh...this is awful! And Julius is here too! The breath in my throat caught as I curled into a tight ball. I want to go see him but - another thunderous boom dispelled any thought of leaving. This sucks. He's going to think I'm weak and pathetic just because I'm scared of a little lightning. It's not my fault that my mother left me home alone during my first one! I bit back my tears of frustration and fear tightening my little cocoon of protection.

JULIUS'S POV

Where in the world did that troublesome woman go? I stared at the thick puddle of water spilled onto the floor, leading a trail towards the stairs. Did she leave? In this kind of weather? I grimly grimaced. I never thought of myself so hated before that she would brave out this kind of storm just to get away from me. Was I...too harsh? I walked over to my work room setting the bandages on the couch.

Bah...annoying. Oh? I gazed at the slight puddle at the top of the stairs and then a long trail leading back into the hall. She...ran back there? Why? Is she hiding from me? Impossible. Jackie is not that sort of childish no matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise.

I followed the trail back still carrying the bandages as I hunted the little foreigner down. Alice's room? I pushed open the door with a creak immediately finding the water trail into Alice's closet. A tiny bit of Jackie's pant leg showed from the corner. I huffed. No. I want her to answer me. Why does she want to know what's going on between me and Alice and Ace? It couldn't be...that she's interested in me, the mortician, in that sort of light?

Oh? Is she...crying?

Never fear more is on the way! I actually had to cut this chapter in half so the faster the reviews the faster I can put it up. 10 REVIEWS for the next. How will Ace react if he were to walk in on what happens next~ _