A/N: Okay, I know I haven't updated recently, but I have indeed been extremely (EXTREMELY) busy. And though that's not an excuse, I have not updated. So here's chapter eight. It's mostly a filler, but things will get more interesting, I guarantee. You're going to learn her name in the next chapter and why exactly Juliet was brought to the Aickman house. So I hope you'll not be too terribly unhappy with me because it's tough trying to get inspired again after it all went away with he who must not be addressed. (No, not Voldemort...Trevor...but that's an entirely different matter, especially now that I'm with–nevermind, I'm ranting) So please be content with this chapter till I get onto the next one, which I promise will be bundles better!
She Falls Asleep
"Jonah. Jonah!" I called, running up the stairs. He appeared beside me, and I leaped about a mile into the air. "Jesus Christ! Jonah, you scare the crap out of me every time." I was half-laughing. He smiled apologetically, standing far away in the doorway of my and Wendy's room. I walked up closer to him, causing him to float farther away. I laughed. "Jonah, what are you doing? Come over here." I waved him over, but he shook his head, his smile growing wider. I put a hand on my hip, cocking my head. "Jonah, you're teasing me."
"I know," he sighed, sitting down on my bed. I sat down next to him, sitting Indian-style on top of my comforter. He held my chin, forcing me to look at him. "You are wonderful, Juliet, I wanted you to know that." I smiled, looking down into my lap. My cheeks started to burn, but as Jonah brushed his fingers along them, cold spread down my face. "And I have never, ever in my existence felt any other way about anyone."
"I–I've never been in...love...either," I said quietly, then looked down into my lap. I felt Jonah scoot closer next to me and an ugly anticipation started to sink in my stomach. When is she going to come back? It was a bad thought, a thought that never should have crossed my mind, but she was always there. Always, aside from the blissful two weeks that she had left me alone. I was so...accustomed to her presence that when she left, it was terribly odd to me. I looked up at him, feeling miserable about her and the awful feeling that one day, one day soon, she'd come back.
"What's the matter, Juliet?" he whispered, reaching to brush a few hairs out of my face. I shook my head, feeling a couple of wet specks trickle down my cheeks. "Juliet, my love, whatever is the matter?" I shook my head again, rubbing furiously at my face with the backs of my hands.
"No...I'm being stupid, I'm just scared...what if she comes back?" I whispered, burying my head in my arms. Jonah took the opportunity to wrap his arm around my shoulders, and slowly pull me towards him. I didn't stop him, but I didn't encourage him either. At this point, I think I was just scared that she would come back right at that moment and try to hurt him...
"Juliet, you must listen to me. I will always, always be here to protect you. She will never return to hurt you. Ever." The tears melted into happiness and I melted onto the bed, my eyes drifting up to meet his. "Juliet Annabel DiMarco, I love you. I would do anything and everything for you." My lip quivered and I watched him intently. "I can understand if you do not feel the same for me as I you. It is a strange combination, you and I. But I have never had these feelings for anyone or anything in my being. I–"
And before another word could escape his pale lips, they were covered by mine. We remained locked together in the in-between, not dead nor alive. And in that moment, and though necrophilia is frowned upon in most developed cultures, I realized that I reciprocated those feelings that Jonah had for me. I pulled away softly, resting my hand on his almost non-existent neck.
"I love you, Jonah," I whispered, keeping my face close to his. Our gaze never broke, but his eyes lightened at the sound of my words. "I don't know how...but I l-love you." He smiled weakly, and moved my hair from my face.
"And I love you," he murmured back, pushing the smile further across his lips. But then it disappeared once more and he backed away. "I'm terribly sorry, Juliet...I need some time for myself. I hope you would be able to understand my situation...I'm terribly sorry," he repeated, and in wisps of smoke, he was gone. Then, the worst possible thing that could have happened, did.
-You knew it couldn't last forever...