The high-pitched squealing of the alarm clock caused Julia to fall out of bed. Groaning she untangled herself from her sheets, walked into the bathroom and turned the shower on. Shuffling over to the sink she brushed her teeth waiting for the water in the shower to heat. One look in the mirror had her avoiding a second glance, because she looked like death warmed up. There were dark circles under her eyes, their bright hazel lustre were now dull husks. Her vibrant glow had vanished, leaving a ghostly shadow in its wake.

After taking a shower and getting dressed, she sat alone at the table in the kitchen pushing her untouched food around her plate staring into space.

Rosalie called into the kitchen from the living room, "If you don't get a move on, honey, you're going to be late."

Grabbing her coat and slinking it on, Julia threw her bag on her shoulder and trudged out the front door in a cloud of despair. Walking down her front steps she instinctively looked for Ren and then had to remind herself that he was still pissed and not talking to her. It made her even more depressed as she walked off to school alone.

It was Friday and Julia had Nature class for first period; mercifully it is one of the few classes she didn't have with Ren. She headed straight to the woods at the back of the school so she didn't risk running into Ren in the hallways. Expecting to find the rest of the class to be there, it surprised her to only find Alex waiting in the small clearing under the young birch trees. He was sitting on a huge redwood tree that had been cut down to make the perfect bench.

Julia looked over at him; his pristine perfectness annoyed her. Even though they had reached the point where they tolerated each other they still weren't friends. She sighed and walked toward the opposite end of the clearing. Alex took one look at her then jumped up and headed toward her.

"You don't look so well, are you all right?" he asked concerned.

She stared at him wondering what his game was, and then loudly huffed. "You know, telling a girl she looks like crap isn't cool." She was not in the mood to let him off the hook for anything. Feeling the need to scratch her claws on something, he would do nicely.

Alex arched an eyebrow at her not taking her bait. "I didn't say that. Why are you trying to pick a fight with me?" He grabbed her hand and led her back over to where he was sitting. "And just so you know even though you look like you should be home resting, I still think you look good."

Warmth spread through her, pooling in her chest, hearing him say that. She blushed and peeked up at him through her eyelashes then thought, stop it. Julia was too busy chastising herself as they walked back to the huge bench that she didn't notice the root in her path. Her foot hooked under it causing her to stumble forward.

Alex swiftly reached out his arm and caught her around her chest. The contact of his strong arm holding her made her breath hitch, and she blushed even harder as she looked up and their eyes met. He looked away; slipping his arm around her waist he helped her the rest of the way. She was caught completely off guard by the sudden strong magnetic pull her heart felt toward him. She was silent, lost in a sea of thoughts and emotions as she sat down. Knowing if she gave into the pull she felt toward him it would consume her.

Alex's eyes were soft and caring as he looked at her. His change in attitude toward her and her own feelings had her bewildered. One minute he was cold and hostile toward her, the next he was friendly and joking and the next he was kind and caring. It made her head spin, and it pissed her off that she couldn't figure him out. The magnetic pull she felt eased allowing her mind to clear, and her mood changed. For gods' sake get it together, she thought and scooted further away from him.

She didn't want to act childish but she couldn't stop herself; he was a jerk, and she didn't want to admit she was falling for him. Julia looked at him and said, "I don't get you. Why are you being nice to me?" her tone soaked in something between contempt and confusion.

He looked at her and smirked. "I'm just helping you out, nothing more."

Her eyes grew sad not knowing why his words had hurt her. Then looking away she cursed herself for acting like a complete nutcase. "Well, please don't put yourself out on my account. I'm perfectly fine, see." She stood up and took a step to walk away and smacked into a wall of dizziness. Everything started to spin, and she tumbled forward.

Alex jumped up and grabbed her in his arms, stopping her from falling. He sat back down on the huge bench with her head in his lap. "Don't be so damn stubborn. I'm trying to help you," Alex said in an annoyed tone.

Her heart throbbed as she looked up at him in a daze. Her eyes looking into his eyes and her breath hitched. A wall inside of her felt as if it was crumbling and the girl's joyful laughter snaked its way through her mind. It grabbed hold of her senses and squeezed. Time seemed to stop, and a force took control of Julia; she reached her hand up to touch his face. It was such a natural feeling but at the last moment she came to her senses and let her hand drop.

Embarrassed by her foolishness and wanting to deflect attention away from what she almost did. She said the first thing that popped into her head. "Where on Earth is Damien? Tuesday, we made plans to go to a Halloween party at the end of the week and then he just up and disappears the next day. The party is tonight, and he's still nowhere to be seen."

Jealousy coloured his face, with a cold little laugh he said, "He's busy, off doing stuff. Just what is going on between you two, anyway?"

His cold tone grated on her nerves. "What do you care it's not like I mean anything to you," she replied sarcastically then looked away grinding her teeth. It was at times like these that she just wanted to kick and punch him.

He stiffened and a mask of indifference slid onto his face. "You're right; it's none of my concern."

His words stung Julia as if he'd just slapped her in the face. For some crazy reason a voice inside her shouted, forcing her to clarify her relationship with Damien. "We're just friends. He's fun to be around. Not that I should have to explain myself to you or Ren. It's just there is something about him that feels like I've known him forever. It's hard to explain but I wish everyone would get off my back about it."

Alex's mood lighted; chuckling he said, "I take it the annoying sprite is still not talking to you."

Her body deflated, thinking about how her best friend turned his back on her. Julia held the urge to cry at bay as she said in a defeated tone, "Yeah."

Alex looked at her with compassionate eyes and gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Give Oren some time to cool down he'll come around. You know how those light faeries love to blow everything out of proportion. You can't deny they love drama and nine times out of ten they're the bomb that's created all the strife."

Julia giggled Alex's words made her felt at ease. "Ain't that the truth."

"That's better," he said smiling back at her. "You look much prettier when you're smiling."

Blushing, a deep red she looked away, his words stirred desire inside the recesses of her heart. Julia could feel the wall that was holding something important back crumbling a little more. Once again she heard the girl laughing, and it made her head feel as if it would split in half. Putting her hands on her temples she applied pressure trying to ease the pain.

"What's this party you're going to?" Alex asked.

She scrunched her forehead; it was hard to concentrate on anything other than the laughing and the head-splitting pain. "I thought you knew," she finally said. "It's near Medford at Mormo's place. Apparently it's supposed to be wild."

A serious expression washed over his face as he asked, "Do you mean MormoShadowmist?"

Julia took a few deep breaths before she answered, "Yeah, the very one. It's going to be so coo ̶". A wave of nausea hit her. Knowing her stomach planned on emptying its contents in seconds she jumped up desperate not to throw up in front of Alex. Her legs wobbled like jelly and she only made to the end of the bench before dropping to her knees and throwing up. When she finished retching and tried to stand up, her head felt like it was in a vice. Holding her it in both hands she heard the girl laughing again and then blacked out.

Disjointed images swirled around her head as the darkness lifted. Julia felt the cold hard hands of her attackers ripping her from her beloved's embrace as she shouted his name. She begged and pleaded with someone to spare her life, and the life of her beloved only to be laughed at. Then realised her captors meant to kill her. Julia gasped as she opened her eyes. It took her few moments to comprehend it was just another bad dream, and she was safe in her bed. She sat up wondering how she got home.

Alex was sitting on her window seat watching her. He smiled and asked, "Are you feeling better?"

Her head was still spinning, and she lay back down. "Yeah, kind of," she answered not wanting to talk about it.

"I think you were having a nightmare. You were incoherently mumbling in your sleep."

Rolling on her side she sarcastically said, "Great. That's all I need: you listening to me rambling in my sleep on top of everything else."

"Don't worry, you didn't say anything truly incriminating. But you confessed your undying love to me," he said in a light tone.

Julia couldn't stop herself giggling; it was easy to like him when he was being laid back and friendly. Forgetting how much she disliked him, Julia turned over and flashed him a devilish grin. "Did hell freeze over?" she asked in a flirty tone. "Cause I'd never say that. How did I get here?"

Alex smirked at her. "You passed out and being the kind hearted gentlemen that I am I carried you back here," he said with a hint of mockery. "Are you sure you're all right you still look like you are going to throw up."

Julia frowned she didn't know why but the way he said that ruffled her feathers. She was about to get her claws out with a snarky answer when Rosalie burst into the room.

Rosalie had a look of utter worry on her face as she rushed over to Julia. "Justine Crane from the school called and told me you passed out. Are you all right?"

Embarrassed and not wanting to supply the moody dark faerie sitting in her room with any more ammo to use against her. Julia tried to push her mother's prodding hands away as she said exasperated, "Jeez, mom, I'm fine."

Rosalie noticed Alex sitting on the window seat and shot daggers at him with her eyes. "What is he doing here?" she asked her voice was so arctic a polar bear would've gotten frost bite.

Julia's mouth dropped open, she couldn't believe her mother. A tiny part of her fist pumped the air and shouted go mom, but was stamped out by anger at her mother's rudeness. Alex had done nothing to warrant such a reaction and Julia defensively answered, "Alex helped me."

Rosalie looked him up and down with a cold stare. "I bet he has," she said doubtfully.

Julia was about to tell her mom to back off when her stomach started to churn. She shot out of bed running to the bathroom and threw up.

When she came back to her room, she heard her mother shouting at Alex, "I'm sure you're the cause of why she's been acting so bizarre lately. You need to get out of my house. You and your friend are not welcome here."

All sanity left Julia; she'd had enough of her mom's rudeness. Without thinking, Julia shouted as she held onto the doorframe for balance. "That is enough, mom. Alex hasn't done anything to me so stop it." Julia looked at Alex, "I'm sorry, Alex, I don't know why she's acting crazy."

Letting go of the doorframe she started to walk to her bed but fell. Alex rushed to her and caught her in a flash and then helped her to the bed. As he was helping Julia lay down Rosalie gave him a look that said get your hands off my daughter.

He backed away and Rosalie hurried over to Julia putting her hand on her daughter's forehead. "Gods, Jules, you're burning up. You really are not well. I'm going to stay home with you tonight someone else can take my place."

Julia swatted Rosalie's hand away exasperated. "Mom, you're overreacting. I'm just tired and I don't need you staying home all night to watch me sleep. I stupidly skipped dinner last night and breakfast this morning and now I'm paying the price. I'll be fine with some food and rest. And you know there's no one else to take your place in the Hallows Eve ceremony. Besides tonight gets crazy they need everyone patrolling tonight."

Rosalie looked a little hurt by her daughter's reaction. "You're right. But I am looking after you until I have to leave at three o'clock and I don't want any arguments."

"Fine," Julia said in a petulant tone, as if she was three years old about to throw a tantrum. Looking over at Alex her whole body relaxed and a goofy smile split her face in two she said, "Thanks for taking me home."

Rosalie turned around and looked at him shooing him away. "She needs her rest so you need to leave now."

He scooped up his book bag. "Julia, I hope you start to feel better. I will..." Julia could tell he was about to say something else but said, "I will show myself out."

When Alex left the room Rosalie looked at her daughter and said in a warning tone, "Jules, that boy is trouble and I want you to stay away from him. Do you understand me?"

Her mom was acting like Alex was the devil and wanted to corrupt her innocent daughter. It wasn't fair that Rosalie who usually welcomed anyone into their house with such warmth would be so cold to someone she never even met. Granted, Alex could be a colossal jerk to Julia, and they were by no means friends. She still didn't think he deserved to be treated that way.

Julia was too tired to argue and just moaned, "Mom," turning away from Rosalie.