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 James E. Reilly , isn't it?

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"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.

~~~~~~~~

Julian's POV

My knees threaten to buckle beneath me as I stand up just beyond the edge of the precipice. I immediately lock my knees in place and stop for a moment to gather myself. I take a look back and try to remember how I managed to get Eve and myself up her without putting her down or causing her any further injury. Of this idea, I haven't the foggiest.

Eve gives a shuddering breath and I am, at once, returned to the present where I am most needed. As if of their own volition , my legs head for my car, which sits, still idling farther down, near the brink of the street. When I reach the car, I readjust Eve with a cringe so that I can reach the door handle. I feel her shivering in my arms and I realize that her internal injuries aren't the least of her problems. She could suffer pneumonia or hypothermia in her sodden state.

Biting my lip, I simultaneously pull the door handle and take a step back with Eve balanced precariously on one arm. I waste no time in sitting her in the passenger seat and strapping her in. Knowing that she needs to be covered and now, I take off for wherever I think I threw my overcoat…There it is. I snatch it up off the ground and all but sprint back to Eve. Crouching down at her side, I lay the coat over her trembling form and try to quell the internal panic that threatens to doom us both. Her to her death and me to my life. I gently shut the door, taking care not to hit either of her arms.

After running to the driver's side, I slide in and slam the door behind me. Giving my beloved Eve a cursory glance, I restart the car and do a careful u-turn away from the cliff and back in the direction of Harmony, more specifically, Harmony General Hospital.

The ride is dreadfully long and seemingly never-ending. I've always thought of Harmony as a small town with one street and one hospital, etc. , but it's never seemed so big before.

The miles and miles of nothing at all seem to pass at a painfully slow crawl. I need to get Eve help and it doesn't feel like I'm going to get her there in time. I find my eyes drawn powerlessly to her lovely, but pallid face. She's so striking, almost arresting in her splendor. My breath catches and I wonder if this will be the last of her magnificence to be impressed upon me…to be impressed upon this earth.

With a concerted effort on my part, I ease up on the gas, but not in my determination. I simply don't see the need to kill her while trying to get her help. I will get her help and then…I will have her as my own. I can no more deny that desire than I can deny my very ardor for Eve. I can only pray that she concurs this time.

I look to Eve again and my heart constricts painfully at the sight of her just about swallowed up by my overcoat. She looks so small, so frail. I fear that the slightest wind would shatter the tantalizing countenance that I have come to love.

The heat is up full blast, for both of our benefits. Even with that being so, I can still hear my dearest's teeth chattering above the unaccompanied clangor of the motor. And I can't deny the nearly painful chills racing up and down my own spine.

Finally, Harmony comes back into view and I reach out to rest a hand on Eve. We're almost there. Well, not quite almost as the hospital is on the other side of town, but at least we're back in town now. I entreat the Lord I have never been so faithful to, to guide us on our way to safe harbor. Guide Eve, if not me.

As we come to the main street of Harmony that will lead us to the hospital, wouldn't you guess that there's been a traffic incident. Or should I say accident? Who has a traffic accident in Harmony? What are there, seven cars in the whole town? You have to look for a car to have a fender-bender with.

I swerve to avoid becoming another of the roadside casualties. I make a vague wave of apology as someone blows their horn at me. Damn it, the hospital has never seemed so far away…God, where are you now?

~~~~~~~~~~

Eve's POV

The world is tumbling and twisting and swerving. God, when will it stop? My stomach is my in feet, I think. Or is it my head. No, it's somewhere in between. Is there anything in between? I'm all head and feet. Someone, please make the moving stop. I just want to be still.

As if someone important was listening, we stop on a dime, it seems. There's a ruckus outside and I feel gentle hands pull me from wherever I lay. Oh, I'm moving again. Where am I? Where's Julian? I need Julian. I can see the bright lights even with my eyes closed. It's so cold. God, why is it so cold?

"Eve. Eve? Answer me, darling. Can you hear me? Are you there? If you can hear me, squeeze my hand." There's someone holding my hand. Squeeze…the hand. Julian. Julian's holding my hand. "Eve, darling, you're scaring me here. Please, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand." I'm scaring him. I don't want to scare him. I clench my fingers around his as tight as I can. He responds in kind. "Good, Eve, Good. You're fine now. You're going to be just fine. Just let the doctors take care of you and you'll be just fine. Trust me." I nod, even though it's painful. Trust Julian. That's the easiest thing I've ever been asked. I trust Julian.

"I trust you." The sounds of the bustling hospital become muffled and start to fade away. Someone's counting back from a hundred…ninety-nine…ninety-eight…ninety-seven…I'm afraid. It's so quiet here, now. Where'd everyone go? Where's Julian? I can hear his voice somewhere far away…

"Trust in me." I gently close my eyes and rest. It's time for me to heal…Things will be better when I wake up. I'll be all right, because…In Julian I trust.

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