Dane

Chapter 17

Barnabas made no protest, as he was half walked half-carried to Josette's room. Once he was comfortable on the bed, Willie and Julia darkened the room as much as they could, and then set up the equipment for the transfusion.

Barnabas groaned, with pain, as Julia sat beside him, smoothing the wet hair that was plastered to his forehead. They had removed his jacket for more freedom of movement.

"Barnabas, listen to the sound of my voice," soothed Julia, as another spasm of pain racked his body.

"I'm going to give you a blood transfusion. You've had an allergic reaction to the treatments. Barnabas, do you understand?"

He groaned, and moved his head painfully. His breathing laboured and rattled in his chest asthmatically. She held his wrist, checking his pulse. It was thready. If they were to succeed in their attempt, it would have to be soon.

"I want you to remain completely still, Willie," said Julia as she inserted the needle into his arm, and checked the line, feeding into Barnabas' arm.

Once the blood began to flow from Willie into Barnabas' arm, she monitored Barnabas closely.

She had gotten a bowl of water, and began to cool his fevered forehead, when he began to stir. He groaned, and moved restlessly on the bed.

"Julia," he muttered over and over again. "Julia."

"I'm here, Barnabas," she said, hoping that the sound of her voice would soothe him as it did before. He seemed unaware of her, as he continued to mutter to himself. "Angelique," he suddenly wailed, and grimaced as a pain cramped and squeezed his entire body. "Didn't mean.. protect...tried…tried to protect…lies…Julia!"

She took hold of his free hand and grasped it tightly. "Barnabas, I'm here. You must try and lie still."

"Julia?" he whispered, turning his head to face her. "Julia?"

She smiled and touched his face. "Yes, Barnabas."

He swallowed, with difficulty. His fevered eyes fastened on hers. "Afraid," he whispered. "Afraid."

"There's no need to be, now. Everything is going to be all right."

He looked down at the needle in his arm, frowning. "No!" he wailed suddenly, in horror, and began trying to rip the needle from his arm. "No! No blood! No blood," he cried twisting on the bed, and beating at this arm.

"No, Barnabas!" cried Julia, rising to her feet, and grabbing his arms. "The transfusion will help you!"

"No...no blood! Take it away!" He arched his back, and then lay still.

"Barnabas?" asked Julia anxiously. "Barnabas?"

He lay unmoving, his breathing harsh and ragged. Just like the night he had reverted. She examined him closely. He'd passed out.

She turned to Willie. "I want you to tell me, everything that you know, Willie," she said, her tone clear that she would not tolerate veiled remarks. "Why didn't you come to Collinwood as soon as you realised his condition?"

Willie looked at her seriously. "I did, Julia. Twice."

She frowned. "I don't understand. No one informed me, that you'd been to the house," she said, her tone less accusing.

Willie continued to look at her, his gaze shifting to Barnabas. "Is he going to be alright, Julia? He will get better, won't he?"

"I don't know, Willie."

"Well, if he doesn't, it'll be Dane's fault."

"Dane?" she asked sharply.

"He stopped me from telling you, Julia. I came to Collinwood this mornin' and asked for you, but he wouldn't let me see you."

Julia frowned. "But that doesn't sound like Dane."

"He came here last night, demanding to see Barnabas. Said he wanted me to keep you away from him. I wasn't goin' to tell ya, but when Barnabas got sick, I just had to."

"I can't believe that Dane would do something like this," said Julia, disbelieving.

"He has Julia, because he's in love with ya himself, and he wants to keep Barnabas out of the picture."

She turned back to Barnabas. He seemed to be breathing easier. She checked his pulse, holding his hand longer than she should, before replacing it back on his chest.

Then she moved closer to Willie's chair, and said quietly.

"Willie, Dane asked me to marry him."

"I know, " he admitted in a whisper. "He told me last night."

"Does Barnabas know?"

Willie shook his head. "I haven't said a word to him about it. He doesn't seem to like Dane." He paused, and then asked. "Have you decided to marry him, Julia?" To Julia, he sounded worried.

Julia rose to her feet and went back to Barnabas' side. She held his hand resting on his chest. "I thought I'd made a decision," she said, watching Barnabas, closely. "But now I'm not so sure, I made the right one."

How could Dane have done such a thing? Knowing how she felt about Barnabas?

Was that why he had asked her to marry him, because he felt threatened by him? She had seen a side of Dane that she didn't like. But, a part of her mind insisted, Barnabas had done exactly the same thing, and yet she had forgiven him, why not Dane? For the simple reason, she loved Barnabas.

"Julia?" Willie broke gently into her thoughts. She turned to face him.

"Yes, Willie, what is it?"

"Wait a few days longer, before you make up your mind."

"Why, Willie?" asked Julia curiously.

"I can't say, right out, " said Willie, shifting uneasily in his chair. "But if you wait a few days longer before you decide…just wait a little longer, Julia. That's all I'm askin' ya."

She turned back to Barnabas, hope burning brightly in her heart once more.

Again, Barnabas' expression when she'd almost blurted out she loved him, crossed her mind. Wait, whispered in her mind, and she knew that she would. Had she ever really given up in her heart?

Dawn was just breaking over the horizon when Julia breathed a sigh of relief. The transfusion had ended a few hours earlier, and Barnabas seemed improved. He still remained unconscious, but his breathing had eased considerably. She was more optimistic that he would recover.

"I want you to watch him closely all day, Willie," she said. "At the smallest change, I want you to inform me at once, do you understand?"

"Sure Julia."

"Come straight to me. Don't let Dane stop you for whatever reason."

"I won't," promised Willie.

She turned to Barnabas, seeming reluctant to leave him. "He should stay like this until dusk. I have to call Wyndcliffe, and move him there as soon as possible."

"Should he be moved so soon?" asked Willie, his concern evident.

"As soon as he's well enough, I'll transfer him. Watch him, closely."

Willie walked her to the door. "About what I said... will ya wait a little longer Julia? Just a few days more?"

"Right now, Barnabas is my only concern, Willie."

"Sure Julia," said Willie hiding the smile. He knew she would wait; he'd seen the way she had looked at Barnabas. He only hoped, he was right, and a few days more would be all that was needed.

/

When she reached Collinwood Dane was waiting for her. She stared at him coldly, as she hung up her coat.

"How is Barnabas?" he asked, with some concern.

"Improved, with no thanks to you," she said furiously. "How dare you decide who I can and cannot treat!"

"Julia, I'm sorry that Barnabas was so ill. But I thought under the circumstances, that you were spending too much time with him."

"Under the circumstances? What do you mean by "under the circumstances"?"

"For one he's your patient..."

"He also happens to be my friend!" snapped Julia. "Which is a lot more than I can say about you at this moment!"

"It goes much further than that, Julia, and you know it," Dane shot back. "There can be only one relationship between doctors and their patients, you know that as well as I do."

"How dare you!" said Julia, and slapped him, hard, across the face.

"Barnabas could have died with out my help! And if anything further happens to him, as a consequence of your interference, I'll never forgive you Dane. I don't think I could marry a man, who dictates who I can and cannot have as friends."

She stalked upstairs to her room, medical bag in hand, without a backward glance, leaving Dane standing in the foyer, rubbing his cheek as he watched her progress, realising that he had lost her, with his over confidence.