Author: Regency

Title: The Long Night

Category: Romance, angst, possible character death

Pairing(s): Eve/Julian, Eve/TC, Sheridan/Luis, Sheridan/Antonio, Julian/Rebecca, Teresa/Fox, Whitney/Chad, etc.

Rating: PG-13

Season/Sequel: I don't know; I just started watching last year. There is one. The one where Teresa gets pushed down something by Gwen? I'm guessing 'cause I didn't get to watch it.

Summary: With Teresa out of the picture, Rebecca needs something else to do. When her 'hobby' lands Eve in the hospital; she realizes that she's severely overplayed her hand. Too late, she recognizes that without Eve to hold over his head, Julian is a very formidable man. And when his wrath is unleashed, someone may not get out alive.

But the real question is: Will Eve? And what's happening on her side of the long night?

Author's Notes: Anything that a dedicated watcher doesn't recognize, I made up.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone except those unrecognizable to an avid watcher, but I actually don't know who does. It's J. Reilly , isn't it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…"Thank you." I slap the phone closed with a snap and start at a run down the deck towards the lot. I have to get to Eve. She needs me. Why did I park the damned car so far away? Oh, hell, where did I park the car?

I'm coming, my love. Wait for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Julian's POV

I can't help pushing the speed limit as I all, but fly through the streets. The familiar terrain of Eve's neighborhood passes me by, but I don’t notice. All I know is that I need to get to Eve. As I come about three block away from the Russell Residence, I hit the brakes and swerve to avoid smashing into a detour sign. After catching my breath, I exit the car for a quick look around.

"I may not live in this area, but I know there shouldn't be a detour sign here. There's no road work, no accident. Why the hell is there a detour sign here?" I stop for a moment and close my eyes. There's only one explanation…Rebecca. Who else?

In a wave, I feel a sense of urgency come over me and I all but leap back into my car. After, backing up a bit, I turn onto the recommended street and slow to a crawl to see if I see anything suspicious. Not seeing anything, I speed up and veer sharply around the bend.

That operator was right. This is mile after mile of absolutely nothing…And Eve is out here… somewhere. I'm looking side to side, hoping beyond hope that Eve is somewhere in one of the extensive fields. Somewhere I can see her, reach her. I'm so engrossed in my lateral search that I forget to watch where I'm going. When I finally do look again, I find that I'm in grave danger of running out of road. Very grave. I've just decided I don't like the word 'grave' anymore. Yes, we're going to strike that from my vocabulary.

I spin the wheel desperately, trying to avoid finding myself in the Harmony Canal. I succeed in my endeavor, narrowly. I stop to breathe, but then I remember that Eve is down there and while I'm here taking deep breaths, she may not be able to breathe at all. Get to her, now!

I push quickly out of the car, not minding my keys and move to take a step or two forward only to find myself wanting for places to step. This is where the ground gives way to air. I lean over and catch a glint off of a gnarled piece of metal out of the corner of my eye. It's a gold-ish color. Eve's car. I kneel down on my knees and scream for Eve.

"Eve! Eve, darling! Can you hear me? Eve!" I realize that even if she can hear me, or even see me that she'd have no way to let me know over the din of the rushing water. Oh, God, the water. The car's in the water…Eve's in the water. She's trapped and she can't get out.

I pull off my overcoat hastily and pull off my tie and shirt before diving into the freezing water. The moment that I am fully submerged, I begin to cramp up. Damn it! I know I'm not as young as I used to be, but I can't deal with this right now. Eve needs me!

Breathing hard, I look around. The metal that caught my eyes seems to be a lone piece and I look another way. I do a full 360° turn and I still can't see the car…the rest of the car. I take a deep breath before diving under beneath the surface and swimming around. I've never been more grateful for Harmony's nearly clear water. I swim around as long as I can before surfacing for air. I plunge into the water again, now in a frenzy. I cant' see her. Oh, Eve, where are you? Just as I'm about to return for another breath I see a particularly large piece of…something resting at the bottom of a exceptionally deep section of the canal. Before, I can get a clear look, my lungs' demand for air takes precedence.

As I prepare to dive again, the muscles in my calves and thighs start spasm painfully and I find myself struggling between shivering and screaming. I do neither, because Eve is still depending on me.

I dive under the water and swim for the wreckage that therein lies Eve, no doubt. I swim around the wreckage and search frantically for some way to get inside. As I swim to the other side, I find myself looking at the unconscious and bleeding form of my beautiful Eve. I try get her attention, and even in vain, call her name and get only a mouth full of water for me efforts. Before long, I have to return to the surface for more air.

Back under water, I watch as the water starts to fill the interior of the car where Eve is lying. She look so beautiful. It's almost as if she's asleep. I want to just watch her like this forever. When the eventual end to that thought reaches me, I begin to bang violently on the window to either try and wake Eve or to at the very least break the window. As I slam on the window again, it starts to splinter and Eve jolts awake. She looks around frantically and starts to panic. Dear God, her claustrophobia. She can't breathe. Eve, you're all right. It's all right. Eve, look at me. But before she can look at me the burning in my chest forces me from the darkness to the light. As I swim back to the surface, I hear Eve banging on the glass.

It takes me longer to catch my breath this time. After, what feel like far too long, I plunge back into the darkness and swim until I am face to face with Eve. She's still banging on the glass and if her face weren't so wet I'm sure I could see her tears. There's blood trickling down her balled fists from the shattered glass and falling into the water, staining it red.

The water is still rising, but I can't get her out yet. She's too close; I might hit her.

She mouths something to me. "Get me out." She presses her hands to the glass, ignoring the pain it causes her already battered hands. Her eyes are terrified. "Julian, please, get me out." The water is still rising; it's up to her neck now. Her breathing's getting worst. If she doesn't get out of there soon, she'll pass out. I realize that I need to get her out now or I take the risk of not getting her out in time.

"Move back. " She shakes her head. She can't understand me. I make a pushing motion with my hands. "Move back." I think she gets it now. She nods and as far back as possible in the cramped space. "Cover your face." She shakes her head again. "Cover your face." I cover mine as an example. She nods and does as I just did. I check her out to make sure I've covered every base possible way to keep her safe, well as safe as she can be in current circumstances.. I push off for another breath and am back in half a minute.

The water has risen even more inside the car. It's just under her nose now. Without hesitation, I slam my fist into the fractured glass and it starts to give way. I smash my fist into it again and it fragments without further adieu. To my horror, several of the larger pieces drift at a terrifying velocity towards Eve. And there's nothing I can do, but watch. One piece slices clean across the back of her hand and another across her wrist. The blood flows out and into the water, giving the scene an ominous red tint.

When I can stand it no longer, I lean through the mess of smashed glass and pull Eve out by her elbows. With her arms being the mass of the torn flesh that they are, I have to do the swimming for both of us. As I frantically move us closer to safety, I realize that Eve is nothing more than dead weight in my arms. I push my already struggling body to go just a little longer, just for Eve's sake. We break the surface. I don't take the time to stop for a breath because I know I won't have the energy left to get us all the way home if I stop now.

Reaching the damned distant shore, I pull Eve onto the dark sand and lay her on her back. I realize at once that she isn't breathing. Dear Eve, don't leave me yet. I stroke her face and pray.

"I need to do something, anything. CPR. But I don't know CPR. Wait, I do. Eve taught me…earlier this year, I think. She said, "In case I needed to save a life." How could she have known?"

Looking down at Eve, I say another silent prayer before setting to my task. I lift her head back to clear her airway. I apologize to her silent form for the pain I'm about to cause, but justify it to being for a good cause.

With fortifying breaths, I put one hand over the other and proceed to give CPR. After what seems like, and probably was, forever, Eve takes a painful, but gracious breath. Thank God. I cup her cheek in my hand and lean down to press a soft kiss to the corner of her lips.

She looks up at me with a bleary, disoriented expression, but reaches her arms up to me and I take her gently into mine. She grasps my damp undershirt weakly, but for dear life. Oh, my Eve. Dear Eve. Rebecca will pay for causing you this pain.

"Julian." I look down at her and see the pain and confusion in her eyes.

"What's wrong Eve?" She tries to speak further, but nothing comes out. She starts to cough and I help her turn on her side when I realize that something's actually coming out. When I turn her back over in my arms, the ground beside her is stained an ugly reddish-brown. I don't have to think about it, I know. Internal bleeding.

"Julian…" Her breathing is even more labored than before and she's so pale. "I think I…need…a doctor." I nod. Yes, she needs doctors. She needs doctors now.

"We'll get you a doctor, Eve and you'll get better and then you and I'll run away together like we should have years ago." I don't like that look in her eyes. It's like she resigned to her fate. But she can't be. Her life isn't over yet. Our life together hasn't even begun yet. How can it already have come to an end?

"No, Julian. *cough* No running away, no me getting better. It's over." I press my forehead to hers.

"Don't say that Eve. It's not over until it's over. I will not lose you. Please, Eve…Please, fight." Her eyes are starting to close. No, she can't go yet. I very gently jostle her awake. " Fight for us, Eve. Fight for us and our son. We still haven't found him. You owe him the knowledge of his parentage. Please, don't make me look for him alone…without you. I can't do anything without you." Her eyes are only partly open, but I know she sees me. She slides her hand from my chest, up my neck to my face. She looks deep into my eyes. She's speaking to my heart.

"Julian…I love you…*cough*…so much. I will always *swallow* love you…*cough* with all of my heart. You are the other…*swallow*…half of me." Why is she saying these things?

"Eve, why are you saying these things?" Her eyes are shining and there are tears running down her face.

Julian, tell me you love me." I pull her closer, if that's at all possible.

"I love you so much, Eve. But why are you saying these things like you're saying goodbye? You're not leaving yet. Not for a long time." She gives a painful chuckle. She strokes her thumb across my cheek and I realize that she's wiping away tears. I'm crying.

"Stubborn boy." She smiles, but then begins to cough violently. After calming down, she looks back up at me. "I wouldn't want you any other way, Julian. You have to know that."

"Nor I you, my love. Nor I you." I take one of her wounded hands in mine and bring it to my lips. "I need to get you to the hospital now, all right?" She nods. " Do you trust me, Eve?"

"Always, Julian."

"Do you trust me with your life?"

"Without hesitation." I nod to her and bury my reaction for later.

"This is going to hurt you. I'm sorry, there's no way it can be avoided." She nods her understanding. I slip an arm under her knees and wrap the other around her back. With a concerted effort, I push myself up from my knees to stand up. My body is still weak, but there's no more time to rest. Eve needs me. It's all about Eve.

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